Humanoid
by pepper0324
Summary: In the aftermath of Glenn's death, Maggie and Tara try to make it work in the apocalyptic world around them. Together, they will face new journeys, dangers, and new beginnings when suppressed feelings are finally released. This story contains Tara GP so if you don't like it, please don't read. Note rating change.
1. Disarm

Author's Note: I have read a few Maggie/Tara stories so I decided to take a swing at it. Hopefully I do the fans of this couple some justice. As the summary states this is a girl peen story which I decided to play with lol.

* * *

Tara Chambler looked around her surroundings and at her surrogate family as she took in the scenery around their temporary shelter. The large, blue, two story house and barn was nothing spectacular with a long wraparound porch that contained two rocking chairs slowly rocking in the wind.

Rick, their leader, said they would stay here for a few days while they worked on their bus that had recently broken down in the front yard on their way to Washington DC.

"Hey come help me with the perimeter check. Daryl and Sasha are checking the inside to make sure it's safe for everyone," Rick said as he patted her shoulder indicating that she needed to get off the bus. She gave her seat mate, Maggie Greene a small smile as she stood up.

"Sure thing Sherriff," Tara joked as she walked off the bus earning a small chuckle from Rick as they followed Daryl and Sasha towards the house.

Tara took one side of the house as Rick searched the other. Her hand reaching down for her knife, readying herself for walkers or whatever else decided to pop up. She saw nothing significant as she surveyed the yard and met up with Rick, who is also empty handed.

Together, they headed inside and step onto a large living area. Tara heard the other two upstairs as they rummage through the house. After a few minutes, Daryl and Sasha came down the stairs.

"It's all clear. Everyone can sleep down here for safety. We can have a couple of lookouts during the night," Daryl stated as he rested his crossbow against his side.

"Here take this. It's gonna start getting cold soon," Sasha gave Tara a light blue blanket. Tara smiled in appreciation as she took the blanket, flinging it over her shoulder.

Together, they all went out the door towards the bus where the rest of their makeshift family was waiting.

"Everything is clear. We can stay here for a few days as we work on the bus engine. We can go on supply runs to get more supplies and auto parts. Should be good to rest here for a bit," Rick announced when he stepped onto the bus, letting everyone get out and explore their new surroundings. Tara gave Maggie a small smile as she helped the other woman off the bus and took her bags.

"You know I can carry my own bags, Tara." Maggie mocked an annoyed tone causing Tara to chuckle.

"I know you can but I'm just being chivalrous. I also got a blanket for you tonight so you won't get cold," Tara looked back at Maggie as she took the steps into the house and placed their bags in the corner along with the blanket.

"Such a gentleman," Maggie said with a sly smile as Tara laughed.

"Just trying to make sure you are taken care of," Tara gave her an endearing look as she went back outside to see if there was anything she could help the group with, leaving Maggie to deal with the little butterflies that had filled her stomach when Tara smiled at her.

The group removed their belongings and went about doing individual jobs to help make the house comfortable for the next few days. Maggie and Carol went through their food supplies to see how long it would last them. Carl rocked Judith back and forth in his arms in an attempt to keep the infant happy.

Daryl and Tara went out to gather firewood as the others tried to see what engine parts the bus would need and see where they could salvage supplies. Since the sun was already down as the firewood was gathered and a fire started, Rick decided the group could turn in for the night.

Tara and Daryl volunteered to take the first shift of the night watch so the others could get some rest. Then Rick and Michonne would take the next rotation.

Maggie was a bit saddened that Tara wouldn't be there when she went to sleep but she knew Tara worked hard to help make sure the group and her were protected. She smiled as thoughts of the other woman filled her head as she laid down, wrapping the blanket around her.

"Hey I just wanted to say goodnight," Tara whispered as she placed a small kiss on Maggie's forehead.

"Night," Maggie smiled as the kiss filled her body with good feelings of comfort and safety.

Tara took off her plaid over shirt giving it to Maggie so she could cuddle with it until she got back. Maggie took the shirt holding onto it as she soaked up the smell that was uniquely Tara. She watched as her friend grabbed her gun and went out into the cold night.

* * *

Tara closed her eyes for a split second as the cold wind touched her skin and rocked the chair next to her. She opened them and surveyed the open land in front of her for any threat to her family. She was determined more than anything not to lose anyone else after everything the group had been through and lost...Tyreese, Beth, Bob, Glenn. Glenn. That name struck the most sadness in her especially on night watches like this.

After the whole Terminus mess, she and Glenn had become close quickly developing a sister/brother relationship. They always went on supply runs together and volunteered for the night watches where they would just joke around, talking for hours. They would often talk about past relationships, how their lives had been before everything had gone downhill.

Tara often told him about girls she had dated and funny one night stand stories. Tara often joked that Glenn was her brother from another mother and he quickly became her best friend. Poor Maggie often had to endure their constant inside jokes and immaturity at times.

In fact, Glenn was the first person she told about her "condition". She was a normal woman except for the extra appendage down below. When she was younger she went to the doctor who said it was caused by extra testosterone and whatever medical jargon he spewed. It never bothered her or her family.

The girls she would hook up with would never make a fuss about it. She knew there were others out there like her, a small number but still. Now with the apocalypse she doubted there were many left.

Glenn hadn't made a big deal out of it saying he knew someone before who worked with him at the pizza parlor that had the same condition. He doubted they were still alive. Soon with Glenn's encouragement, she was able to tell the rest of her group. To her surprise, everyone was supportive and no one made her feel like a freak.

Tara smiled as memories of her best friend invaded her tired mind. Life had been good during that time despite the whole zombie apocalypse thing. They had lost people of course but they always found a way to bounce back as a group.

They were resilient like that. As long as Tara had Glenn and Maggie around, she was content with her makeshift family and felt like she could do anything.

Then everything changed a few months ago. It seemed like centuries ago whenever the incident crossed her mind, the sadness pinged at her soul. The group had just lost Tyreese and had said their goodbyes, their morale and motivation were low. Maggie and Sasha were both distraught over the loss of their siblings, just bodies walking around without any real goal or happiness.

Abraham and Rick decided that the best course of action would be to go to Washington DC even after Eugene had lied about knowing a cure. Maybe there were more people somewhere else, a settlement where they could finally be safe from everything. They never noticed the other pack following them, sizing them up.

The attack happened on a hot night after a day of walking and getting to nowhere. No food. No water. No reliable vehicles to use. Tara had just closed her eyes, resting her head against a tree when suddenly a parade of about ten people jumped from the woods making their malicious presence known.

Confused, Tara grabbed her knife looking to see where help was needed. She saw Rick fighting with some burly man with Carl and Judith behind him. Carol and Daryl were fighting two other scrawny men and looked liked they had things under control. Eugene was crouched behind Abraham and Rosita as they killed some man with mud all over his face.

Suddenly she heard a scream, turning she saw a large, dirty man with a grey beard, punch Glenn while two others grabbed Maggie and Sasha beginning to drag them away from the campsite. Tara watched as the large man roughly grabbed Glenn by the shirt and dragged him along in the same direction as the others. Tara ran as fast as she could, tackling the guy and punching him in the mouth drawing blood. The man responded by grabbing a rock, hitting her hard in the head quickly disorientating her. He got up in a hurry, swiftly kicking her in the stomach to keep her down.

"You grabbin that one also, Thomas?" She heard a rough voice call out to her enemy.

"Nah too much trouble. Just the two girls and the Chinese fella," The man wiped blood from his mouth, kicking her once again in the stomach for good measure before following his pack with the hostages.

Tara stayed down until she was sure Thomas was gone. She slowly sat up, rubbing her head, feeling the blood start to accumulate. Suddenly the realization that Sasha, Maggie, and Glenn had been taken caused her to jump to her feet, running in the direction they had been forced.

She knew she should run the two to three miles back to the others but she couldn't waste time. She had to keep them in her sights and save them. It also didn't help that she was already behind since it took her a few minutes to compose herself and assess her injuries. No matter how hurt she was, Tara was going to save Glenn, Maggie, and Sasha or die trying.

Meanwhile, at the campsite of the blood thirsty men, the three hostages were tied up and gagged. Maggie was crying inconsolably, Sasha was glaring with hatred in her eyes, while Glenn nodded in and out of consciousness.

All of a sudden, four other men joined their hostages. One of them had a baseball bat, looking maliciously at the group. Thomas.

"Your fuckin' group killed six of my men. Six! What the fuck. We just wanted some supplies. Maybe some bitches also but damn. Now it's just the four of us left. And now ya'll are gonna havta pay," Thomas glared at Glenn.

"Don't worry we will take care of your little ladies…won't we fellas?" he cackled as the others nodded in agreement.

One man grabbed Maggie, holding her body against his. "Yeah, I'm gonna have loads of fun with this one," he whispered in her ear.

Tara felt her adrenaline go through the roof.. She heard voices. She was close. She grabbed her knife and readied herself for an attack, hoping she wasn't too late.

"Brent…calm down buddy. We have plenty of time for that after we kill the rest of the group. Reckon I already killed one. I think. I did knock her pretty hard," Thomas crackled as he swung his baseball bat back and forth.

"Oh well…time to add to the count." Suddenly, Thomas swung the bat and connected with Glenn's skull, the crack produced was deafening.

Maggie and Sasha screamed in horror as Thomas brought the bat up and down, hitting Glenn's weak body over and over again. Glenn's blood ricocheting all over them as he was hit countless time, groaning as his body suffered pelt after pelt.

Maggie tried to squirm away to help, her captor holding her tight. Sasha frantically tried to untie her hands but to no avail.

Suddenly, Thomas was on the ground as he was again tackled by Tara. Before he had time to react, she plunged her knife deep inside the side of his face; his body squirming until he was dead. The other men were equally surprised as they left Sasha and Maggie alone to take on Tara.

Tara grabbed Thomas' gun from his belt and easily shot two of them in the head bringing them down instantly. Brent seeing he was in trouble grabbed Maggie, holding a knife to her throat.

"Come any closer…she dies," he threatened as he pushed the knife into her throat a little drawing blood to show the others that he was serious. Maggie cried, her eyes meeting Tara's as she silently pleaded for her to save her life.

Tara glared at Brent as she put the gun down, making it seem like she was going to give in. Grabbing her knife, she swung it into his leg. The knife pierced Brent's leg causing him to scream out in pain, letting go of Maggie.

Tara picked up Thomas' discarded bat, gently pushed Maggie to the side as she tackled Brent, punching him in the face. Brent fell over crying out for mercy as Tara brought the bat down over and over again on his body until finally Sasha grabbed her from behind.

"Stop. He's dead…he's dead," she whispered trying to calm Tara down. Tara didn't realize she had beaten the man to a pulp; the blood of all the men soaked her clothes.

Tara looked around. All the men were dead but so was Glenn. She hadn't made it in time. Maggie was at his side crying uncontrollably. She hung her head down, holding back the tears that threatened to come out. Her best friend, her brother was dead.

* * *

Tara came back to reality as Daryl walked up to the front of the house, holding a small bottle in his hand.

"Want some?" he offered her a bottle of whisky, which Tara took a generous drink from.

Rick and Michonne came out of the house, dismissing them from their post. Tara walked into the house, smiling to herself as she saw Maggie under the blanket in the corner. Tara sat down next to Maggie causing her to wake up.

"Lay down with me," she muttered still half asleep. Tara followed directions, laying down and allowing Maggie to cuddle up into her side, her head resting on her chest, and her arm across Tara's stomach. Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie's body, placing a soft kiss on her head as she closed her eyes to try to sleep.

Tara knew she loved Maggie, probably loved her since the day she first met her. After Glenn's death she was the only one who could get through to Maggie and help her to live again.

Ever since that day, she had vowed to protect Maggie no matter the cost. Tara felt like it was the least she could do since she felt guilty for being too late that night. If only she had arrived a few minutes earlier, Glenn would still be here. Maggie wouldn't be a widow.

Maggie made it clear to Tara that she didn't blame her for her husband's death. In fact, the event had drawn them closer together like never before. Maggie knew deep down that she was falling for her friend but she kept it to herself.

Every day that passed she let a piece of Glenn go and clung to Tara a little more. She knew she would always love Glenn but she felt like she could love Tara more than anything if she admitted her feelings. Tara, meanwhile, hoped one day Maggie could love her, having no idea that Maggie was falling more and more in love with her with each passing day.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay there's chapter one. Don't worry there will be more Maggie/Tara interactions in the chapters following this one. I just wanted to give you guys the group's mindset and whereabouts. I think this story could be fairly long if people are interested as I have a few ideas on where I want to take this. I will try to update regularly. Thanks for reading!


	2. Closer

A/N: You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for the reviews, faves, alerts, and follows. I appreciate them all and they make me very happy! Yes, there will be smut in this story so hopefully ya'll enjoy that lol. All mistakes are my own though I try to catch them. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Tara woke up the next morning to bright sunlight shining through the windows. She looked around the empty room, noticing that the rest of her friends were outside, probably getting ready for the day.

Maggie was still cuddled up next her, sleeping soundly. Her arm draped over her waist, trying to soak in all the warmth Tara could give her. Tara moved slightly which caused Maggie to mutter in her sleep and hold on tighter. Tara smiled at the beautiful woman who refused to get up. Suddenly, Tara realized that she wasn't the only one who was up and ready, when she noticed the raging hard on in her pants.

'Dammit. Get it together Chambler,' she thought, as she tried to gently push Maggie off of her before the other woman noticed her friend standing for attention. All that resulted in was Maggie waking up, gently brushing her hand against Tara's crotch which caused Tara to jump up in surprise.

"Whoa, that's a surprise to wake up to," Maggie chuckled as Tara let her head hit the wall behind her in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. Usually it will go away after a few minutes but I guess not today," Tara blushed feeling more uncomfortable; obviously her body wasn't helping her out in this situation. Maggie couldn't help but be curious about sizing up Tara, seeing what she had to work with so she peeked under the blanket.

"Hey!" Tara exclaimed as she tried to cover up. Maggie got a good peek in though, she had to admit Tara did look pretty big.

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist," Maggie laughed flashing her a smile. Tara wasn't sure what to think about that statement but had no time to ask Maggie what she meant when she heard voices coming their way.

Things then went from bad to worse for Tara as Carol and Michonne walked into the brightly lit house.

"Hey Tara, we're going with Daryl on a supply run. He said he saw a school bus and some cars a few miles down the road. So we're gonna check it out see if there are any engine parts we can use. He wants you to join us…so get up," Carol explained as she waited for Tara to stand up. Yeah, no way Tara was getting up with her cock standing up at full attention with all the women gathered there.

"Yeah, I will be there in a few minutes," Tara closed her eyes trying to relax so her body could chill out but it was hard with Maggie sitting right next to her, her soft hands just a few centimeters from her rock hard erection.

"Well?" Carol asked after a couple of minutes, "Is everything okay?" the older woman questioned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just have a little problem," Tara couldn't believe she might have to reveal the nature of said problem to the older women in the room.

"More like a big problem," Maggie snickered obviously enjoying watching her best friend squirm in this awkward situation.

"Well what's wrong? Maybe we can help." Michonne offered as she and Carol moved closer to the younger women.

"No! I don't need your help. No offense. You are both wonderful, beautiful women but no," Tara nearly shouted as she held the blanket tighter around herself. This just caused Maggie to giggle even harder, confusing the older women as they took a couple of startled steps back.

"Let's just say Tara wasn't the only thing that was up and ready this morning," Tara couldn't believe Maggie told the others as she buried her head in hands.

"Oh…" Carol laughed as she caught on to what Maggie was saying. Soon all three of them were giggling at the situation.

"Hey! It's not funny. I'm so happy to be your morning entertainment," Tara imitated a hurt tone as a chuckle escaped her. Tara was never afraid to laugh at herself.

"Well, ya'll fix that little problem and we'll be waiting outside. Hurry up!" Michonne said as she and Carol turned, walking out of the house still chuckling about the scenario.

"Hey! It's not little!" Tara called out after them earning her more laughs from all three of her friends.

"Well, it's safe to say that my big, macho ego has been shrunk down significantly," Tara rested her head against the wall again closing her eyes, trying to get her body to cooperate. Maggie looked down at Tara's crotch, now she was really curious about what was under those jeans.

"Maybe I can help," she offered giving Tara an intense look as Tara's surprised eyes met hers.

"No…I mean…I can't let you do that," Tara tried to resist as Maggie moved her hands gently grasping her erection, slightly moving her hand up and down the length.

"Well, let me help you," Maggie whispered as she slowly began to unbuckle Tara's belt.

Tara felt her resolve diminish as she watched Maggie unbutton her jeans, slowly bringing the zipper down.

"You don't have to…" Tara tried to keep her composure but there was no turning off how turned on she was.

"I want to," Maggie's green eyes darkened with arousal as she reached into Tara's boxers, faintly gripping her rigid cock feeling the size and girth. Looking directly at Tara, she slowly started to pump her hand up and down the length feeling the warmth.

Tara could barely keep herself from exploding when she felt Maggie's touch. She watched intently as Maggie's mouth got close to her dick, trembling as Maggie let some saliva drip onto the head. With the lubricant, Maggie pumped her hand much faster as Tara let her head hit the wall as she took in the feeling of Maggie touching her.

Her dream girl literally had her cock in her hands; Tara carried out countless forbidden fantasies that had played out in her head over the past few months. She couldn't help but think about how wet, tight Maggie would be, and how she would feel deep inside her as she was fucking her against the wall making Maggie scream out her name over and over again. That was all it took for Tara to reach the breaking point.

"Fuck!" she muttered as she came all over Maggie's hand, some cum splashing onto her friend's shirt. Maggie continued to milk every drop out of her as Tara tried to compose herself, trying to catch her breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get it all over you," Tara apologized after she started to come down from her high.

Maggie looked at her playfully, "It's ok…it was actually pretty hot to be honest," She chuckled as she took off her shirt, wiping her hand off. Tara felt her cock start to twitch at the sight of the beautiful woman in a black, lacy bra that enveloped her perfect breasts.

God, this woman was going to be the death of her. Tara quickly stood up, knowing that she was getting way too turned on again. She quickly adjusted herself, fixed her boxers, and buttoned up her jeans and belt. She picked up her discarded plaid shirt from the night before.

"Here put this on before someone walks in and sees you. And then I'll have to kill them," Tara joked as Maggie buttoned up the shirt, looking effortlessly hot in her clothes.

Maggie watched as Tara stared intently at her, her brown eyes darkening. She felt warmth gather in the pit of her stomach and travel between her legs as Tara undressed her with her eyes. Suddenly, Tara seemed to jump out of the trance she was in. She quickly grabbed her hoodie and backpack for the quick trip ahead of her.

"Yeah, we should head out," She took Maggie's hand, gently leading her out to join the rest of the group.

* * *

Their friends were out and about outside, Abraham was occupied with the bus engine with Rosita looking on. Daryl, Carol, and Michonne were waiting for Tara at the end of the driveway.

"Where's Rick?" Maggie asked Carl who was sitting in the yard, playing with his baby sister.

"He's in the back with Sasha. They are trying to get the well to work and see if we can get some running water. What took ya'll so long?" the teenager questioned.

"Nothing," Tara quickly answered as the morning events played out in her head.

She then turned to Maggie, "I'm gonna take off. You should help Rick and Sasha."

"Ok, but be careful," Maggie replied, giving her a lingering soft kiss on the cheek.

Tara broke out in a smile, giving her a wink, "Always am."

Carl watched the scene in front of him, wondering when Maggie and Tara would just admit their feelings for each other. Their attraction to each other was so obvious that the group had made bets on when they would finally get together. He just shook his head as he watched Tara join the small group at the driveway. He hoped his friends would realize their feelings soon and make each other happy.

Carol and Michonne broke out into a fit of laughter as Tara joined their mini group.

"You take care of that problem?" Daryl asked trying to keep a straight face.

"You told him?!" Tara looked at the women as they tried to suppress their giggles.

"We kinda had to after he was complaining that you were taking too long and was gonna go get you himself. After we told him, he said you could have as long as you wanted," Carol explained as she tried to stop laughing at Tara.

"Yeah don't worry...happens to the best of us," Daryl patted Tara on the shoulder as he led the way with Carol and Michonne following.

"You guys are lucky I love ya'll," Tara called to them as she ran to catch up to her crew.

They walked about eight miles, most of it spent with Tara cracking jokes, before seeing a line of about one hundred abandoned vehicles.

"School bus should be up here somewhere," Daryl directed as he weaved in and out of the cars. The others looked around in the forsaken vehicles, seeing if there was anything useful to salvage.

Tara opened the door to a blue Corvette; looking around in the glove compartment. "Sweet," She whispered to herself as she found a small revolver with a box of bullets. The find quickly found its way into her backpack.

As she about to close the door to see if Daryl had found the bus yet, something on the car floor caught her eye. It was a silver necklace with a small diamond heart pendant. She put her newfound treasure in her pocket, deciding to give it to Maggie so she would always have something from her if Tara ever had to go on supply runs that lasted days.

Tara emerged from the Corvette, seeing Daryl in the distance. He had apparently found the school bus and already had the hood up; rummaging in the engine. Tara jogged the short distance to join him. If there was one thing she knew, it was engines. She had even helped her father restore a 69' Mustang when she was younger. The memories of all the time spent in the garage with her dad brought a small smile to her face.

"Our bus needs a new battery, spark plugs, timing belt, and carburetor. Might be here awhile...might even have to come back tomorrow if it doesn't rain," Daryl informed her as she looked at the engine, seeing if any of those parts could be salvaged.

"There's another bus a few miles ahead also if we need to look for parts in that," he said as if reading her mind.

"Sounds good, buddy," Tara grabbed a screwdriver from the toolbox they had brought, getting straight to work helping Daryl disassemble the bus engine.

Even though they both worked intently, they kept an eye on the Carol and Michonne as the women gathered supplies from the cast aside cars. Carol had found several boxes of canned goods in an 18-wheeler that were still good.

Michonne, meanwhile, had found about four gallons of drinking water and some baby formula in an old Chevy Impala that had seen better days. They were also able to siphon gas from cars to take back to the house. Once, they got their bus up and running again, they were going to need all the gasoline they could get.

"It's gonna start gettin' dark in a few hours. We should take what we can carry an' hide the rest for when we come back tomorrow. Might not even be back with the way the clouds are lookin'," Daryl observed the grey clouds up ahead as he wrapped the engine parts they were able to salvage in an old shirt, putting them gently in Tara's bag.

They each packed their bags with the gallons of drinking water, baby formula, and they all took a box of the canned goods. Tara and Daryl, however, insisted on carrying two boxes of the heavy goods. They had tried to see if any of the cars would start but to no avail. Carol packed the left over boxes back into a trunk of a red Ford Taurus, locking the car with the key she found dangling in the ignition.

The crew walked back to their temporary house in high spirits as the sun slowly started to fade. They had found a slew of supplies and parts; it seemed like their luck was starting to change for once. Even Daryl managed to crack a few jokes with Tara on the trek back.

After a few miles, their house started to come into view and Tara couldn't contain the smile on her face at the thought of seeing her girl again. She had been busy all day but that didn't mean she didn't miss Maggie. Even though, she wasn't exactly sure what they doing or getting themselves into. Tara knew she loved Maggie with everything she had; she just didn't want to pressure the other woman. She decided she just needed to let Maggie set the pace of their relationship, if there even was one to begin with.

Walking up the long driveway towards the house, Tara's smile broadened as she saw Maggie jogging towards her. She quickly put the boxes she was carrying down, catching Maggie as the other woman jumped into her arms.

"I missed you so much," Maggie whispered as she wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I missed you more," Tara responded as she took in Maggie's appearance, happy to see that she was still wearing her plaid shirt.

"Whatever," Maggie playfully hit her on the shoulder, while Tara mocked a fake hurt reaction. She picked up her boxes, following the others and Maggie to the fire that was already burning in the front.

Rick was obviously happy with what his friends had brought back from their supply run. "This looks great! You guys really outdid yourselves out there today," he looked through the boxes, very grateful for the formula for his daughter.

"Yup! And there's more we gotta bring back tomorrow if it doesn't rain," Tara informed him as Rick gave her a fist bump and a pat on the shoulder.

She sat down on a log next to Maggie in front of the fire. The fall wind was already making the night cold, a sign that winter was not too far away. Maggie immediately put her head on Tara's shoulder. Tara felt her shiver against the cold wind and immediately took off her hoodie, placing it on the brunette's shoulders.

"I can't let a beautiful girl like you be all cold." Tara said as she saw that Maggie was going to protest. Maggie gave her a small smile as those butterflies invaded her stomach. Tara was definitely a panty dropper with her charming remarks and her chivalric ways.

Maggie knew she had to tell her very soon about her feelings. Maybe even tonight. Maggie couldn't run the risk of the group running into some other girl and watching Tara sweet talk another woman. She knew Tara could be quite the womanizer. Maggie didn't think her heart could handle something like that.

Sasha sat down next to Tara, enjoying a can of fruit they had brought back, "We were able to get that well and pluming workin'. So now the house has running water and we can actually take showers now. Cold but still…shower is a shower,"

Tara nodded her head in agreement. She had an idea that many cold showers would be in her future if Maggie kept up whatever game they were playing.

* * *

The friends enjoyed each others company for a couple of hours, telling stories and reminiscing on how life had been. Tonight was a carefree night for once. Finally, Rick announced that they should turn in for the night, especially since he saw lightening in the distance. Daryl and Tara put out the fire as they prepared for the night watch.

"You can take the back. Boring as hell last night, at least in the front I might see a walker creep by," Daryl said as picked up his crossbow heading towards the house.

"Sounds good," Tara gave him a fist bump as she started to head to her post. Surprised, she saw Maggie waiting for her on the back porch.

"Hey, I thought I would sit with you for a little while. I'm not really sleepy," Maggie rocked her rocking chair as the wind blew around her, thunder rumbling in the distance.

Tara grinned, "Sounds good to me."

Tara sat down in the chair next to Maggie's, reaching over and taking her hand. Nothing was said between them for a couple of hours as they sat in silence just looking out into the distance. Their minds, however, were going a hundred miles a minute. Maggie tried to gather up the courage to say what she needed to say.

Finally, knowing there would be no turning back now. Maggie got up from her chair, leaning against the porch railing.

"I need to tell you somethin'," she confessed as her heart began to beat fast. Tara stood up also, waiting for what seemed like an eternity.

"Does it have to do with what happened this morning?" she asked not sure she wanted to know the answer. Tara knew she should have stopped it, now Maggie probably regretted what happened.

"Kinda," she looked at Tara's confused face as she struggled to find the right words to express her feelings.

"It's just that…I think…I think I'm in love with you." Maggie confessed as tears started to run down her face.

"Really?" Tara breathed a sigh of relief, staring intently at Maggie. She was glad the other woman didn't regret what had happened. Tara didn't want Maggie to feel like she had been taken advantage of.

"Yes…really. I have been for a long time. I just wasn't sure how you felt. I knew you were attracted to me but I wasn't sure if you wanted anything serious. I've heard the stories…I know how you can be. I don't think I can just be a one night stand for you," Maggie cried as she wiped the tears that kept coming out.

"That was the past. That was when I was selfish, only thinking about me. It's different now. Maggie…you're it for me. What I feel for you I have never felt for anyone before. I will spend the rest of my life proving this to you if I have to. I love you more than anything. I would do anything for you," Tara stepped closer to the other woman, closing the distance between them. Maggie shivered as she saw how dark Tara's eyes had become.

"Let me show you," Tara whispered as she brought her hand to Maggie's face, guiding their lips together. Maggie melted into the kiss, nothing ever this intense had happened from a single kiss but with Tara her body was ready and willing.

The kiss quickly turned passionate as Tara dominated Maggie, roughly pushing her against the wall of the house. Maggie couldn't stop the whimper that left her throat, as Tara deepened their kiss wanting to taste all of her.

Hearing Maggie making those soft sounds, sent electricity through Tara's body, she already knew her cock was raging hard with anticipation. Maggie felt how solid Tara was as she deliberately pushed her body against the hard on, feeling herself become soaking wet with the thought of Tara inside her.

Tara couldn't help the primal urge to take this woman and make her hers, "Are you sure you want this? Because once I start, I don't think I can stop," She gently bit Maggie's neck as she left a trail of kisses.

"Yes…please…I need you." Maggie begged as she reached down, grabbing Tara, feeling inch after inch.

This animalistic need suddenly came over Tara as she tried to unbutton the plaid shirt to feel the soft skin of the goddess in front of her. Hearing Maggie beg for her like that unleashed the beast within her, there was no turning back now.

"Fuckin' shirt," Tara muttered as she roughly ripped the offending fabric from Maggie's body, sending buttons flying everywhere. She quickly took off the black, lacy bra in her way. Tara's hand quickly cupped the perfect breasts, gently sucking Maggie's nipples as Maggie pulled her closer, waves of pleasure ringing through her body.

Maggie reached for Tara's belt, unbuckling it after several attempts. She couldn't unzip the jeans fast enough; pushing them and the boxers down as she firmly gripped her prize.

"I want you…so deep inside me…fuck me," Maggie locked eyes with Tara, challenging her. Tara let out a growl as she discarded Maggie's tight pants.

"Fuck, you're so wet," Tara forced her up against the wall, Maggie wrapping her legs around Tara. Roughly, Tara rammed herself deep into Maggie, feeling her take her in, inch by inch. She knew she should be gentler, but this animalistic urge was overpowering her. She needed to dominate the other woman.

Maggie cried out at the sudden intrusion. She felt the big cock deep inside, her walls clinching around Tara, wanting to take her in even deeper. Maggie felt pain as Tara stretched her as she went in deep. Even though Maggie had slept with two other people in her life, Tara was by far the biggest. She wrapped her arms around Tara's body, wanting her even closer. This wasn't like anything she had ever felt before.

With one arm around Maggie's waist, the other on the wall to keep them balanced, Tara started to pump deeper into Maggie. Tara didn't even bother to give Maggie time to adjust to her size. She was in a frenzy that she couldn't control anymore as she thrusted hard. Each long stroke driving her closer and closer to the edge, she could feel Maggie's tight walls envelope her, they both were teetering. Tara maintained fierce eye contact with Maggie as she pounded into her.

"Oh Tara…fuck…" Maggie moaned over and over, trying to be as quiet as possible. She didn't think she would ever get enough of being filled to the brim by Tara. Maggie had to admit, Tara being rough and dominating was fucking hot.

"I'm so close…" she whispered as she kissed Tara, needing to feel that intimate connection. Feeling Maggie's walls clinch around her, Tara took that as her cue, pumping faster and harder as she brought Maggie to the edge.

Suddenly, Maggie felt her body explode with waves of pleasure as the intense orgasm rippled its way through her body. Tara kept going, feeling herself on the brink. Maggie felt another wave of bliss take over her as a second orgasm bombarded her body.

"Fuck!" Tara yelled as she felt herself burst inside of Maggie, filling her with cum. She punched the wall as she felt her body convulse, Maggie's wet pussy sucking every last drop of ejaculate out of her. Maggie kept her limp body wrapped around Tara's, her face buried in her shoulder, trying to come down from the intensity.

"You ok? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Tara asked after a few minutes of silence as they both panted for air.

"I'm more than ok," Maggie smiled lazily, bringing her lips in for another kiss which Tara gladly gave her. Tara relished in the taste of Maggie, slipping her tongue into Maggie's mouth as the kiss grew more intense. They finally had to pull back for air as Maggie rested her head on Tara's shoulder.

"It hurt quite a bit, but felt so amazing," Maggie whispered into her girlfriend's shoulder, sighing with content.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know what came over me. I just had to fuck you senseless," Tara apologized as she gave Maggie a soft kiss. She hated that she caused Maggie any kind of pain.

"It's okay...it was definitely worth it. I feel great now," Maggie sighed as she grabbed Tara closer to her. She loved the feeling of Tara still inside her, she wanted her there for as long as possible.

"We should get dressed before someone comes out here," Tara said as she gently extracted herself from Maggie. Maggie felt a ping of sadness with the void that was left within her, she wanted Tara back in. Instead, she quickly got dressed as she saw Tara pulling up her pants and adjusting herself.

"Where's my shirt?" She looked around not finding it anywhere.

"Yeah, I kinda ripped it up and threw it somewhere. Besides, it was my shirt and I have others," Tara laughed as she spotted the shirt in the yard, it was beyond repair.

"But I liked it…it smelled like you," Maggie whined, having Tara's scent enveloped around her gave a sense of comfort and safety.

"Here babe, my hoodie smells like me. Put it on," Tara handed her the hoodie, which Maggie put on and zipped up.

Tara sat down on one of the rocking chairs and patted her lap for Maggie to join her. Maggie sat down on Tara, cuddling into her shoulder.

"I love you," Maggie whispered as sleep began to take over her tired body.

"I love you too, babe," Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie's body, holding her as Maggie fell asleep against her.

After a few hours, Rick came out to tell her it was his turn to be on watch. Tara effortlessly carried a sleeping Maggie, back into the house and into their designated corner. She gently laid her sleeping beauty down, allowing Maggie to cuddle into her body as she brought the blanket over them. Tara wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's sleeping body, feeling content for the first time in a long time. She vowed then and there that nothing would ever come between them.

* * *

Well there is chapter two. I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm going to try to update on a weekly basis. As I have said before, this is going to probably be a long story. My group will eventually get to Alexandria but that is still chapters and chapters away. I have some stuff I want them to go through first.


	3. Chasing Cars

Maggie woke up the next morning, still enveloped in Tara's protective arms. She sat up slightly, seeing that it was pouring rain outside. She looked around their makeshift home and saw that everyone was either barely getting up or rummaging around upstairs.

She sighed as memories from the night before flooded into her mind. The intensity, the heat, their first time together would always be etched in her brain. That was when Maggie first realized she was sore in places she never knew she could be sore. She hoped she was still able to walk normal after the rough night they had or hopefully no one would notice if she walked a little weird.

Maggie laid her head back down on Tara's chest, hearing her steady heartbeat. She loved knowing that Tara's heart only beat for her, no one else. She kissed Tara lightly on the lips, causing her girlfriend to wake up.

"Mornin' beautiful," Tara said as she gave her a smile that sent shivers down Maggie's body. She knew she would never get enough of Tara's charms.

"Hey…sleep good?" Maggie kissed her again softly.

"After what happened last night and with you here, of course, " Tara winked at her as Maggie gave her a beautiful smile.

Tara sat up, looking around at their friends. Rick and Daryl were busy discussing something, she wondered if she was going to have to go out today. Not that Tara minded, she didn't like being cooped up in one place all day. If she had to go out on a run, she would gladly go even in the pouring rain. Plus, now she had someone to come home to which made things even better.

Carol came over to their corner, "Okay, lovebirds. There are two showers in this house so everyone's taking turns. A lot of us have already taken one so it's your turn Maggie. You're after her, Tara," she handed them a couple of towels.

"Sure thing boss," Tara offered Carol a fist bump which she gladly accepted.

Maggie sighed sadly at the thought of leaving Tara's side even if it was for a shower. She grabbed her bag, gave Tara a quick kiss and headed upstairs.

Daryl walked over to Tara, pulling out a cigarette box, "Wanna a smoke?" he offered.

"Hell yeah," Tara followed him outside onto the porch as he gave her a cigarette and she lit it up with her lighter.

"So firewood is gettin' low. Should last 'bout five hours, but we need to get more. If the rain lets up we can go get more boxes and engine parts also. I know you're the only one who will venture out with me in this weather," Daryl smoked his cigarette as he laughed.

"Fuck yeah, you know it. When do you want to leave?" Tara finished her cigarette, putting it out and flicking it out into the rain.

"In a couple of hours, so do what you gotta do," He also flicked his used smoke out into the distance.

"Just let me know when you want to head out, bro," Tara told him as she walked back into the house, finding Maggie was done with her shower.

Tara grabbed her bag, "Be back in a few, babe," She gave Maggie a kiss before heading up the stairs.

"Did you smoke?" Maggie questioned.

Tara shrugged, "I just had one with Daryl. He's a bad influence on me…get mad at him."

Maggie playfully hit her on the shoulder, "Hurry up and get up there."

"Yes, ma'am!'" Tara gave her a salute as she went up the stairs. Maggie shook her head, smiling at her girlfriend's antics.

* * *

Maggie went into the dining room area of the house where Abraham, Rick, Carl, and Sasha were playing a game of poker with some playing cards they had found the day before. On the couch, on the other side of the room, Rosita was also watching the game looking bored out of her mind. Maggie took a seat next to her.

"So you and Tara, huh?" Rosita playfully smiled at the other woman seated next to her.

"Yeah, it has been official since yesterday. I guess word travels fast," Maggie laughed as Rosita nodded.

"Please, anyone with eyes could see you both had the hots for each other. Plus, with the way you're walking this morning just confirms my suspicions." Rosita smirked as she looked briefly at the group playing cards.

Maggie turned to her, "Suspicions?"

Rosita nodded her head, "Yup that you had sex with her, and it was good."

Maggie laughed, "It was more than good, it was amazing. It was like nothin' I have ever experienced before." she sighed as the events of the night before played out in her head.

Rosita smirked at Maggie's daydreaming face, "Well, I'm glad she finally was able to get with you. Tara has been in love with you for the longest time. Even when we hooked up, she told me that she was really into you and that-"

"Wait…what? You slept with Tara?!" Maggie quickly cut off Rosita, glaring at her and trying not to let the jealously she felt get the best of her.

"I thought she told you? I guess not," Rosita saw the shocked look on Maggie's face, knowing she needed to smooth this over before she got Tara into any more trouble than she already was.

"Listen mamacita, it was months ago, you still had Glenn. I was pissed at Abraham and we had a huge fight. He, Glenn, and Rick went on a run for medical supplies when Judith got sick. Remember that? They were gone for about three days," Rosita tried to jog Maggie's memory of that event.

Maggie nodded her head so Rosita continued, "Well, Tara and I went on a perimeter check and she was telling me about you. I told her about what a jackass Abe was being. One thing led to another, and before I knew it we were up against a tree, having sex. It didn't mean anything…was just a comfort thing mostly."

Maggie took in the story, trying not to imagine her girlfriend in that situation with her friend.

"Does Abraham know?" she asked, wondering how she didn't notice any changes in the group's dynamic.

"Yeah, he knows it happened. Before we met up with your group, he had cheated on me before with a couple of women that used to be on our team. So I guess I gave him a taste of his own medicine for once. He got over it in time though, that is why they never really got along so great these last few months until now," The Hispanic woman shrugged.

"But don't get too mad at Tara. I'm sure she was going to tell you, it just slipped her mind," Rosita tried to get Maggie to see that Tara wasn't all at fault here.

Maggie thought back a few months, remembering how for some time Tara and Abraham were at odds with each other. No matter the situation, they just couldn't get along with each other and now she knew why. She felt jealously run through her as she thought about Tara fighting with Abraham over Rosita.

As if on cue, Tara walked into the room and knew immediately by the look on Maggie's face that she was in trouble. She tried to think of what could have happened in a span of twenty minutes to get her into this kind of dilemma but kept coming up blank.

"We need to talk," Maggie told her as she walked past her, heading up the stairs towards one of the bedrooms for privacy.

Rosita felt awful as she looked at her friend's confused face, "I accidentally let it slip that we hooked up a couple of times. I'm sorry, I thought she knew."

"Oh…that. I'm sure once I explain myself, she will be ok," Tara said trying to be hopeful as she looked up the stairs where Maggie had retreated.

"I hope so cuz if looks could kill, I would have been dead a few minutes ago," Rosita gave Tara a quick encouraging hug as she went to see what Michonne was up to.

* * *

Tara decided to quit putting off the inevitable, heading up into the room where Maggie was waiting for her. She stepped into the room, seeing Maggie sitting on the bed, arms crossed with a stern look on her face.

"You slept with Rosita? When were you going to tell me?" she bombarded Tara with questions as soon as she walked into the room, shutting the door and locking it.

"It happened…yes. It was a few months ago. You were still with Glenn and I sure as hell wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize my friendship with him. I wasn't even looking to hook up or anything. It just kind of happened. And I hate to say it since Rosita is a good friend of mine but it really didn't mean anything. I just thought she was attractive and the opportunity came up. I hadn't gotten laid in a few months before then so I wasn't going to say no," Tara explained as sat down on the bed next to Maggie, taking her hand.

"I was going to tell you. It wasn't this big secret or anything. I told Glenn about it, I kind of thought he would have told you but I guess he didn't. Don't be mad at Rosita though. If you want to be mad, be mad at me," Tara gently turned Maggie's head so that she was looking into her eyes.

"You know I love you. I would never do anything like that now. I wouldn't hurt you that way," Tara told Maggie as she took her hand, placing a soft kiss on it.

"I'm not mad. I was at first…at you…at her. Now I'm just…I don't know. I thought I had you all to myself but then I find out one of my friends knows what it's like to be with you in that way. I guess I'm just a little jealous she had you first," Maggie sighed as she looked into Tara's eyes, immediately seeing the regret she had in them.

Maggie knew she shouldn't ask the next questions she wanted to ask but the need to know was eating at her, "How many times and how good was it?" She let the words leave her mouth before she lost her nerve.

Tara looked at her girlfriend wondering if she was serious, deciding she was by the look on her face, she answered, "Maybe four or five times…I don't really remember. It only happened those three days the guys were out. After that, we kind of just played it off like nothing happened, didn't change our relationship in any way though. We were still able to be good friends, even though Abraham kind of hated me for a while. I don't blame him much. I would have killed someone who fucked my girlfriend. I guess I got off easy…pun not intended," Tara laughed at her own joke but stopped as soon as she saw Maggie wasn't amused.

"Sorry…as for the second question. What do you want me to say? It was more of a wham, bam, thank you ma'am situation. I mean we had sex up against a tree, it was over pretty fast. Not that I can't last or anything…" Tara quickly retorted but stopped at the annoyed look on Maggie's face.

"Sorry. We both just wanted to get our rocks off, and that was what we did. Nothing special or romantic. We did have the right mindset to use protection though if that means anything," Tara tried to see what Maggie was thinking but her face was emotionless. She didn't know if she should start begging for forgiveness or just shut up. After a few minutes of uneasy silence, Tara decided that begging would be the best route to take.

"Look…I'm sorry…I always have a tendency to screw up relationships. That is why mine never lasted more than a few weeks. I'm sorry you had to find out about all this like that. I should have told you before anything happened between us," Tara apologized as she tried to think of ways to get out of the doghouse.

Maggie turned to look into Tara's sad brown eyes, "I'm not mad. I don't have anything to be mad about. I guess I was just in shock. I just wasn't expecting to wake up today and find out that the person I love has had sex with one of my friends. I think I'm okay now. You haven't had sex with anyone else since then right?" She asked as she ran her hand up and down Tara's arm.

"No…not until last night," Tara answered with a small smile.

Maggie leaned over, giving Tara a soft kiss as a sign that she wasn't angry. Their lips barely touched before pulling away, leaning in again with more firm kisses as their hearts began to race, their breaths abrupt and desperate.

Maggie gently pushed Tara back onto the bed, straddling her into place. Tara felt the pace of her breath quicken as Maggie grinded against her, making her semi-hard cock start to perk up.

Tara moaned at the friction from Maggie's movements, feeling herself harden almost immediately. Tara buried her face in Maggie's neck, kissing and nipping at her sensitive spots earning a moan from the other woman.

"Fuck…Tara…" Maggie whimpered as she continued to grind down on Tara's rock hard member which begged to be free from its restraints. She felt herself get soaking wet at the thought of Tara filling her up again. Tara grabbed Maggie, swiftly flipping them over so that now she was on top, their bodies flush against each other.

Tara dipped down, claiming Maggie's soft lips causing a whimper to escape the other woman's mouth. She reached down to pull at Maggie's shirt, wanting to cherish the perfect body underneath her. She pulled back a bit, as Maggie lifted up to assist with her shirt's removal, tossing it away.

Maggie pulled Tara back down on top of her, not wanting to lose any connection. Tara leaned down, trailing kisses up smooth skin until she reached Maggie's soft neck where she nipped lightly before capturing her lips again.

Maggie slipped Tara's unbuttoned flannel shirt off her shoulders, her fingers bunching the fabric of the tank top underneath. She could feel Tara's muscles tremble as she ran her hands over them before getting rid of the shirt, wanting to feel her skin on hers. Shivers traveled down Tara's spine as Maggie gently ran her nails down her shoulder blades and back.

Tara had never felt so connected before to anyone than the woman in her arms. She knew in that instant that she would never want to be with anyone else. Tara needed to show Maggie how special she was to her and how much she really cherished her, especially after the events that happened earlier.

She reached behind Maggie, unclasping her bra and dropping it on the floor. Tara gave her another lingering kiss before taking a nipple in her mouth, placing soft kisses against it before gently licking it with her tongue. Maggie gasped beneath her, trying to pull her even closer. She hitched her hips up to meet Tara's, feeling the hardness that awaited her. Tara smiled at her girlfriend's reaction, as her tongue traveled to the other breast, her hand massaging the other.

Maggie wanted to feel all of Tara against her; she trailed her hands down until she came to her belt buckle. Quickly undoing it in swift motions, she then popped the button on Tara's jeans before pulling down the zipper. She started to pull down the jeans, and Tara quickly discarded them. As she reached for Tara's boxers, Tara stopped her eager hands.

"You first," Tara kissed her as Maggie reached down to feel all of Tara between her fingers.

Tara gently pulled Maggie's hand away from her desiring cock, and lightly pushed her back on the bed. Tara started to lightly trail her lips down Maggie's wanting body until she reached the waist band of her tight jeans. She expertly undid the button and zipper, tugging them down out of her way and onto the floor. Tara locked her eyes on Maggie's darkening green ones, as she painfully took her time tugging Maggie's panties down her long legs revealing glistening, wet folds.

Tara tried her hardest to maintain control as she slowly kissed up Maggie's thighs until she reached the wetness that awaited her. Tara took her first taste, not believing how good Maggie tasted on her tongue. She heard Maggie moan out her name as she tugged on Tara's hand until she had a firm grip and held her hand.

Tara took her time exploring the beautiful woman laid out in front of her, licking from top to bottom, circling her clit before invading her entrance with her tongue. She felt Maggie get wetter with each second as she greedily lapped up her juices. Tara repeated the movements with her tongue until Maggie tossed her head back into the pillow.

"Oh…Tara,'' Maggie trembled as Tara took her clit, gently sucking on it feeling her girlfriend's legs wrap around her neck to hold her place.

"Oh god…" Maggie gasped as Tara continued to suck and lick on her sensitive clit. Tara knew Maggie was on the edge, she quickened her pace, running her tongue down to dip into her pulsing folds. As soon, as Tara's tongue slipped inside of Maggie, she felt her tremble in release.

Maggie came on her tongue, calling out her name in pleasure, as Tara eagerly licked up all the wetness that invaded her mouth. She knew she would never get tired of tasting Maggie. Maggie collapsed against the bed and tugged on Tara until she was hovering over her again.

Tara leaned down, giving Maggie a passionate kiss causing her to moan as she tasted herself on Tara's lips. As they shared deep kisses, Maggie reached down and tugged at Tara's boxers until they reached her calves and Tara quickly kicked them off.

She quickly settled herself between Maggie's thighs, feeling her cock rub against Maggie's wet folds. She closed her eyes at the sensation of warmth and anticipation that coated the tip of her cock. Tara held back from roughly thrusting in, wanting to make this moment special for Maggie.

Tara propped herself up onto her elbows, looking Maggie in the eyes, "I love you so much," She kissed Maggie gently, letting her tongue run against Maggie's lips.

"I love you too," Maggie whispered as she saw the love reflected in Tara's intense dark eyes.

They both maintained eye contact as Tara pushed up gently, slowly sliding into warm, slick folds that quickly enveloped her cock in a feeling of tightness that was unbelievable. She kept going deeper and deeper until their hips were firmly against each other, her solid cock filling out Maggie completely.

They both let out low moans at the different sensations they were experiencing. Maggie loved how Tara filled her up; she wrapped her legs around Tara's waist, wanting to pull her in even deeper.

Tara pulled out slowly until just the head was left inside of Maggie, and then slowly pushed her way back into the tight entrance. They kept up this rhythm for a long time, their bodies building up a thin layer of sweat as they glided against each other. Tara could feel herself building up inside, she slowly quickened her pace but still kept control of herself. She wanted this to last as long as it possibly could.

After a few long minutes, Tara didn't think she could hold on for much longer. Maggie's walls clinched at her cock, wanting more; she could feel Maggie start to tremble and knew she was close. Suddenly, Tara knew she couldn't take it any longer, she was going to burst.

Tara quickly quickened her pace, as long, hard strokes invaded Maggie. Maggie felt the ecstasy building as she ran her nails hard down Tara's back leaving long scratches, burying her face in Tara's neck as her walls trembled and pulsed around Tara.

"Oh…fuck…Tara," Maggie nearly screamed as an intense orgasm invaded her body sending shockwaves though her system. Seeing Maggie have that kind of response, sent Tara over the edge as she felt herself explode deep inside of Maggie, filling her with hot, spurts of cum. Maggie's body making sure to pump every ounce out of her.

Spent, Tara collapsed on Maggie, still buried hilt deep in her. They both panted for breath as they slowly began to calm down. Maggie kept her legs wrapped tightly around Tara, not wanting her to pull out and leave her with a void. She marveled at the feeling of having her in so far, feeling herself cling to Tara. They stayed in that bliss for a few minutes as they came down from their high.

Tara buried her face in Maggie's neck, kissing her softly, "You're so amazing," She whispered as she gave her a soft kiss.

Maggie smiled, "You are pretty amazing yourself. I love you so much."

Tara looked at her, a small smirk on her face. "I love you too. You have no idea."

They didn't move for a few minutes, until Tara reluctantly sighed, "We have to get up, get dressed," She said as she kissed Maggie's neck.

"I don't want to. I want to just lay in here with you and have lots of hot sex," Maggie protested, she felt Tara's cock twitch a bit inside her and knew she wasn't the only one who would agree to that.

"I wish, but I can't baby. I have to go with Daryl to go get more firewood before we run out, and maybe some supplies," Tara explained as she slowly pulled out of Maggie, and started to get dressed. Maggie sighed sadly at the loss of Tara from within her.

"You're going out in this weather?" Maggie asked as she watched Tara adjust herself before pulling up her jeans.

"It's just some water. It won't hurt me," Tara smiled as she slipped on her plaid shirt.

"Now get up," Tara tossed Maggie her clothes, watching intently as Maggie slowly put them on.

"You're so fuckin hot," Tara muttered as she roughly kissed Maggie, slipping her tongue into her girlfriend's mouth. Maggie felt Tara growing hard again, and reached for her dick, feeling the length through her jeans. Tara gently pushed her hand away, and tried to calm down.

"Come one babe. Don't make this harder than it already is," Tara pleaded as she went to open the door.

"Your dick or the situation?" Maggie questioned.

Tara laughed, "Both." She replied as she grabbed Maggie's hand, leading her downstairs.

As they reached the dining room/family area, everyone else was pretty much up to the same things they were doing before. The card game was still going on, with Rosita watching on. She took notice as her two friends walked into the room.

"Are we okay?" Rosita asked Maggie, worried about her answer.

Maggie smiled, "Yeah we're okay," she replied giving the other girl a hug.

"Hey! You ready to go?" Daryl asked as he patted Tara on the shoulder.

"Yeah I'm ready," Tara grabbed her hoodie, zipping it up. Tara also grabbed her handgun, checked it to make sure it was loaded, and slipped her knife into the sheath on her belt.

As she watched, Maggie suddenly had a feeling of dread come over her. She quickly dismissed the weird feeling as Tara walked up to her, giving her a long hug.

"Be careful please…I'm feeling the woman's intuition thing right now. Please be careful," Maggie told her as Tara leaned in for a long kiss.

"I always am, babe. I love you. I will see you in a few," Tara leaned in for another kiss, not wanting to leave Maggie.

"I love you too," Maggie watched as Tara and Daryl went out the front door and into the cold rain. Rosita noticed the quick change in Maggie's mood.

"Hey…she'll be fine. The big goofball always is. Come on…let's go bug Carol," Rosita led Maggie away towards the kitchen where Carol was, hoping to distract her until Tara returned.

* * *

Meanwhile, Daryl and Tara walked along the lonely, wet road. They had already gathered the firewood needed, and placed it in a pile about a mile from the house. The rain had let up by the time they had finished their pile, so they decided to walk to their bus and see if they could get some other parts.

As they walked down the desolate road, they spotted a herd of about twelve walkers approaching them. The walkers made excited noises over the prospect of a potential meal in front of them.

"Those fuckin' things," Daryl spat at the ground, "You take the left, I take the right?" he asked as he unsheathed his knife.

"Sounds like a plan," Tara agreed as she effortlessly grabbed a walker, shoving her knife deep into its head. She moved to the next one, expertly cracking open its head. Tara went down the line until all the walkers were down in a heap of guts.

"Nothin' like getting a little walker guts on your clothes." She turned to Daryl as he finished off the last one in the herd.

All of a sudden, about ten gun shots rang out at them. "Get down!" Daryl yelled as he ducked behind a car, seeing Tara doing the same. He stood up quickly, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Tara fired a couple of bullets back at whoever was shooting at them before crouching down again.

"There's four of em'. Two behind the trees dead up ahead, and two behind that 18-wheeler," Daryl told her the positions of the shooters. Tara peeked out and saw two men hiding behind the trailer of the big truck.

"I'll take those two. You take those guys behind the trees," She whispered to Daryl, seeing him nod in agreement as he took off to confront the men.

Tara crouched behind the abandoned cars, slowly moving her way up towards the men. They still had no idea she was inching closer which was exactly how she wanted it. Tara jumped behind them, quickly firing two bullets into their direction. One of the bullets hit their mark, striking one of the guys causing him to drop dead.

His friend quickly noticed his gun was out of bullets and grabbed the closest weapon he could find - a rock. The panicked man threw the rock in Tara's direction. The rock made a loud noise as it struck Tara on the head.

"Motherfucker...dickbag!" Tara yelled as she reached up and felt blood on her forehead. The man tried to run away making Tara even more pissed that the guy had the nerve to throw that stone at her. She quickly fired off multiple shots, delivering a final kill shot.

Tara felt her adrenaline go through the roof as the other man's lifeless body fell to the floor. "You ok?" Daryl asked as he slowly jogged in her direction to inspect her injury. Before he could reach her, a single shot echoed throughout the air.

Daryl watched in horror as Tara took a bullet and collapsed onto the floor, grasping her lower abdomen. He looked up and saw the culprit, which was an older man who was now trying to run away from the scene. Daryl had not spotted him earlier, and now Tara was paying the price.

Daryl quickly tackled him to the ground, punching him multiple times, "What the fuck's your problem? You fuckin' prick!"

Daryl roughly pulled the man up by his collar, "Answer!" he demanded, punching the man again.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry!" the man cried as Daryl continued to land punches on his body.

"We just wanted your supplies. We didn't have anything. We only had a few bullets left, haven't had any food in days. It was you or us for survival. You killed my friends…my brothers. I was out for revenge when I shot the girl but I'm so sorry. Please don't kill me," The man cried as Daryl let him drop to the floor, groveling at his feet.

"Please…don't…kill…me…please. There are more of us...they will get you...please don't kill me," he pleaded as tears ran down his face.

"Shut the fuck up," Daryl demanded as he drove an arrow into the man's brain killing him instantly. Daryl gasped for air, trying to get his beating heart to calm down. He suddenly felt a pain in his arm, realizing a bullet must have grazed his arm during the gun fight. Then he remembered.

"Tara!" Daryl ran to his friend who was sitting against a car, holding her stomach as blood quickly filled her hand.

"I'm fine…it's probably just a scratch," Her breathing labored as she lifted her shirt up just enough to reveal the gaping wound of a bullet hole.

"Fuck…maybe more than a scratch," Tara shrugged off her hoodie, pressing it to her wound which caused her to wince in pain.

"No need for both of us messing up our clothes," Tara laughed weakly as she slowly lost consciousness, slipping into the darkness.

"Tara…Tara…come on," Daryl began to panic as he tried to find a pulse, anything to tell him that she was still alive. He felt tears come to the corner of his eyes as he felt nothing.

"Come on…you can't check out now," Daryl placed his fingers against her neck, feeling his adrenaline kick start again as he felt a weak pulse. He knew she was bleeding out and quickly, he needed to get Tara back to the house if she was going to have a chance to survive. "I ain't gonna let you die…"

Daryl quickly scooped up an unconscious Tara, not caring that her blood covered his hands and clothes. He sprinted as fast as he could towards the house, hoping against hope that he wouldn't get there too late.

* * *

Yay! Chapter three is done! I'm still a bit upset about last Sunday's episode. I hope things turn out good in the last couple of episodes this season. Hope everyone has a good week!


	4. Unchained Melody

A/N: Well, here is another chapter. Should be noted that I have no medical experience at all, so I'm just kind of writing it how I would see it. Hope you enjoy this chapter. As always mistakes are my own.

* * *

Daryl ran through the ominous woods for what seemed an eternity. He looked down at Tara, seeing that she was still bleeding out pretty badly and still unconscious. Finally, he spotted the long driveway leading to the house.

"RIIIIICK! CARRRRROL! HEELLLLP!" he screamed as he sprinted as fast as he could. The door burst open with Rick, Carol, and Abraham holding their guns out, quickly lowering them when they saw Daryl running towards them. Rick noticed the seemingly lifeless Tara in his arms.

Maggie who was right behind the group, gasped and felt tears come to her eyes as she stared at the body of her girlfriend. She wanted to run to Tara, find out if she was still alive but her body was paralyzed with the shock of seeing the one person she loved in that state.

"What the hell happened?" Rick demanded as he helped Daryl carry Tara into the dining room. Abraham quickly swept the card game out of the way as they laid her down onto the dining table. Carol immediately tried to find a pulse.

"It was an ambush. I missed a guy and the prick shot her," Daryl explained as Rick grabbed his gun heading towards the door wanting to kill this man, torture him for the damage he had already caused.

"I already killed him," Daryl said as Rick tried to calm down.

"She had a weak pulse when I left. I don't know if she is still alive," he looked at Maggie, "I'm sorry…I should of got that guy before he had a chance to hurt her."

Maggie, still in shock, just stared at all the blood that was all over his clothes and his hands. Tara's blood.

There were a few intense seconds as Carol tried to find a pulse, finally she found a weakening one. She lifted up Tara's shirt just enough to show the bullet wound that was still leaking blood. Maggie let the tears fall harder when she saw the result of Tara's injury.

Suddenly, she felt Carol in front of her, gently shaking her by the shoulders, "Maggie, back on the farm your father told us that he taught all his children basic nursing skills for the farm animals. That included treating bullet wounds on horses. Right?" she asked, still shaking the younger woman gently.

"Right…" Maggie answered, still not believing that this scene was playing out in front of her.

"We need you to try to take that bullet out. No one here has any real experience doing something like that. If you don't, she will die. You're her only hope." Maggie turned to Carol upon hearing those words.

"I don't know if I can," Maggie cried as tears continued to fall down her face.

"You can. You have to or she will die," Carol tried to make Maggie see what she needed to do to save Tara.

Maggie nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. Tara needed her right now. She had always been there for Maggie through everything, protecting her. Now it was her turn to be there for Tara, and possibly save her life.

"Ok…I need some tweezers or something to dig the bullet out. Also need some kind of way to close the wound up and some peroxide to sanitize the utensils. And we need to hurry, with this much blood loss what she really needs is a blood transfusion but we don't have the equipment for that," Maggie told the others as she wiped the tears off of her face, trying to compose herself.

"I saw a sewing kit upstairs. There has to be a needle and thread," Sasha informed them as she ran up the stairs to retrieve the items to close up the wound.

"It's better than nothing, I guess," Maggie sighed as she took a look at Tara, who was still passed out.

Michonne handed her some tweezers she had managed to find. Maggie took a deep breath; it was time to start this. She put the tweezers to the wound, sighing when she realized she wasn't going to be looking for just one bullet but multiple fragments.

"We're going to be looking for multiple bullet pieces," she informed Carol and Sasha who were standing behind her, observing.

Just at that moment, Tara woke up. She looked around, confused at why everyone was surrounding her then the pain hit.

"Shit!" Tara hissed at the slight movement she had made, which felt like knives were stabbing her repeatedly.

"Well, that is gonna leave a mark," Tara laughed weakly as she looked at the bullet wound on her abdomen. She tried to hide how much the damage hurt, but must have been failing with the way Maggie was looking at her.

"I'm going to have to take all those bullet fragments out so it doesn't get infected. There has to be maybe seven or eight tops, and we have no way to numb the area or anesthesia. It's going to hurt like hell…I'm so sorry," Maggie apologized; she hated the idea of causing Tara any more pain than she was already in.

"Just do what you need to do, babe. I'm sure I can handle it," Tara tried to put on a brave face, her breathing weak and labored.

Maggie turned to Rosita, "Don't we have some aspirin?" Rosita nodded as she dug in her bag looking for the medicine. Finally, she found the pill bottle. She handed eight tablets to Tara who immediately swallowed them, coughing from the bitter taste.

"It's not much but maybe it will help a little," Maggie looked at Tara with sad eyes, she could tell Tara was in more pain than she was letting on.

"Let's get this over with," Tara laid back, taking a deep breath. She was unprepared for the amount of pain that resulted as the tweezers' metal touched her damaged flesh, making her body fill with distress and adrenaline.

"Fuck!" Tara screamed as she punched the table, her knuckles white from the violent reaction.

"I need you guys to hold her down!" Maggie yelled as Rick, Daryl, and Abraham each grabbed Tara, forcefully holding her down as Maggie tried desperately to extract the offending fragment.

"There's one. Seven more to go," Maggie looked at her girlfriend; she hated how much discomfort she was causing her. Sweat was running down Tara's body as she fought against the three men that held her down, yelling out explicit after explicit.

Carol had tried to help calm her down, but nothing seemed to help. Maggie could only imagine Tara's reaction when she had to stitch her up with a large sewing needle.

"She just needs to pass out already. This is only going to prolong the process. Please…just pass out," Maggie said softly as she prepared to get the next piece of scrap out of the wound.

"I think I have something that might help," Abraham ran to his backpack, rummaging through it for a few seconds. He finally found what he was looking for, showing the others a brand new bottle of Jack Daniel's whisky.

"This should either help her pass the fuck out or numb the pain just a bit," the redhead handed the bottle to Tara.

"Drink!" he ordered. Tara took a swig of the liquor, feeling the heat go down her throat.

"Come on, Chambler! Don't be a pussy. Drink that shit up! I have drunk with you before. I know you can handle that shit," Abraham challenged her, wanting her to at least drink a quarter of the bottle.

"Fuck off, Abe," Tara brought the bottle to her lips, gulping down the burning liquor until almost half the bottle was gone.

"That's what I'm talking about," Abraham exclaimed as he took the bottle from her before she could take any more. No need for her to upchuck on everyone in this already frantic process.

Tara suddenly felt very drunk, the pain had indeed numbed up some but it was still prominent as Maggie started the process to retrieve another fragment.

"Goddamnit!" Tara yelled as she tried to get out from the grip her friends had her in.

"It will be over soon…just relax," Maggie tried to soothe her with a calm voice but she knew Tara was in agony.

Rosita came over to the table, wiping Tara's sweaty hair out of her face and holding her hand trying to comfort her in any way she could. This seemed to help Tara a bit, but she still kept trashing around each time the tweezers met her flesh.

Finally, the moment Maggie had been praying for happened. Tara's body suddenly went limp as she finally passed out from the combination of the alcohol and pain.

"What happened?" Daryl asked worriedly, as the trashing and bad words from his friend came to an abrupt halt.

"She finally passed out. It's a good thing...it means I can do this without her going all crazy on us," Maggie said as she concentrated on getting the next piece out as quickly as she could. Rosita meanwhile, tended to Tara's head wound where the rock had struck her earlier.

"That is going to leave a scar," the Hispanic woman told Maggie as she cleaned up the blood, "Knowing Tara, she will think it's badass."

She continued cleaning the wound as Maggie let out a laugh, "Yeah, that's my Tara alright."

"Hot damn, that girl has a high pain tolerance. I know a lot of guys in the field would have pussied out even with some anesthesia. Definitely would not have made it as far as she did," Abraham admired as he put up his bottle of whisky after taking a big swig.

Daryl kept watching, needing to make sure his friend would be okay. Carol noticed the bullet graze on his arm.

"We need to clean that up," she took his hand, leading him to the kitchen to clean up his wound before he could object.

The others watched on as Maggie continued to take out fragment after fragment, slowly getting the bleeding to lessen. Even Judith seemed enthralled with the process, as Rick held her close in his arms.

Finally, all the bullet scraps were out of Tara's wound. Maggie took the needle and thread that Sasha had found, using it close the wound as well as she could. It definitely wasn't as neat as it should have been. She guessed Tara was going to have two scars to show off now. She bandaged up the area, and hoped that it wouldn't become infected later.

"I'm done. Now hopefully she will wake up, and be as good as new. These next few hours are critical; she lost a lot of blood," Maggie turned to the others, as she felt tears once again start to leave her eyes.

"You mean she can still die? Even after all that?" Daryl asked in disbelief.

Maggie only nodded as she cried at the weakened state Tara was in. She definitely was not used to seeing Tara like this and it hurt.

Sasha immediately put her arm around her, "She'll pull through. I mean it's Tara we're talking about. She's a fighter." Maggie tried to make herself believe Sasha's words.

Rick and Daryl gently moved Tara's body to the couch, where Michonne put a blanket over her.

"We will take turns watching over her. Check to make sure she's breathing every twenty to thirty minutes. If she isn't, make sure she is dead…then make sure she doesn't turn," Rick instructed as everyone was silent at the thought of potentially having to end Tara.

Rick then turned to Maggie, who sitting in the chair by the couch, giving her Tara's knife. "Can you do what needs to be done if she doesn't make it?" he asked.

Maggie nodded her head sadly, "Yeah I can. I'll stay with her first."

Rick gave her a quick look as he told the others to try to get some rest, that hopefully Tara would be awake in the morning. As the others went about their business, Maggie let the tears really fall from her eyes.

She choked back a sob at everything that had happened that evening. Just this morning they had been in bliss together, now her worst nightmare was happening. Maggie didn't know if she could survive if Tara didn't make it. First, Glenn. Now Tara. She didn't know if she could handle any more loss.

Maggie checked to make sure her girlfriend was still breathing, finding some relief as she saw that Tara was. In all honesty, she wasn't sure if she could end Tara if she died. Maggie knew it would be the right thing to do but to actually do it was another question.

She hadn't had that problem when Glenn was murdered. His head had been bashed in pretty good; also Tara had made sure that he wouldn't turn by stabbing his lifeless brain so Maggie wouldn't have to do it.

Tara had been so good to her during that difficult time after Glenn's death. When they had finally found Rick and the others that night, Tara did all the explaining so Maggie wouldn't have to relive the experience again. Although, Tara had downplayed her role in saving Maggie and Sasha; she had felt guilty about not saving Glenn in time. In Tara's own eyes, she was no hero.

Tara had also insisted on digging out Glenn's grave by herself which the others let her do. Rick tried to help at first, but she told him she needed to do this on her own. Tara had also tried to talk Maggie out of burying her engagement/wedding ring with Glenn. Maggie knew she couldn't wear it; it would only be a daily painful reminder of what had happened. So on the day of the funeral, she buried her treasured ring with Glenn, leaving a piece of her with him forever.

During those long nights, Tara held her close while she cried herself to sleep. Never complaining once about lack of sleep; Tara did whatever she needed to do to make sure Maggie was comforted and protected. Tara had also always made sure that Maggie ate and drank water, even when she didn't want to. Just having Tara by her side made that painful time easier and paved the way for Maggie to slowly fall for Tara.

"Please don't die on me. I need you…I love you," Maggie pleaded to Tara as she placed her hand on her heart, feeling the weak heartbeat. Maggie leaned down, kissing Tara's lips needing some kind of connection to her girlfriend.

"You have no idea how much I need you…" she cried as she felt more tears leave the corner of her eyes.

Sometime later, Maggie realized she must have fallen asleep at an awkward angle, her head on Tara's shoulder while the rest of her body was still in the chair. Daryl had gently shaken her awake so he could stand watch with Tara.

"You should get some sleep. You've had a long night," he told her as he helped her up.

"Don't blame yourself for what happened. You know if you did she would wake up just to kick your ass," Maggie looked at him knowing that Daryl was still guilt stricken over what happened.

"I'll try not to," Daryl replied as he plopped down on the chair, checking to see if Tara was still breathing.

Maggie walked over to her and Tara's corner, suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling of sleeping on her own tonight. She realized that she had not slept on her own in months. Tara had always been there with her, besides the few times when she went on long supply runs.

Maggie felt a small smile come to her lips as she saw one of Tara's plaid shirts on the floor. Tara must have thrown it on the floor before bed one night. Tara wasn't exactly known for her neatness, which could drive Maggie crazy sometimes. Now she realized she would let Tara throw her possessions anywhere if it meant Maggie was back in her strong, protective arms.

Maggie picked up the shirt, smelling Tara's scent all over it which brought her a sense of comfort. She laid down holding the flannel close to her, imagining that Tara was there and all was right in the world again. Before she knew it, the exhaustion of the amateur surgery came over her, pulling her into a restless sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Maggie woke up to sunlight and birds singing outside the window. She jumped up, jogging to the couch where Tara was, needing to see if her girlfriend was still okay. Rosita was sitting with her, holding her hand when Maggie reached her destination.

"Did she wake up at all?" Maggie asked as Rosita shook her head.

"No. She's still passed out. We had a scare early this morning. Sasha thought she had stopped breathing, but when Abraham and I checked on her she was still breathing…just very weakly. I have been with her since," Rosita told her, watching sadly as Maggie became distraught over the news.

Maggie felt more tears fall down her face, she didn't know if she could handle this anymore. Rosita stood up, enveloping her arms around the slightly taller woman.

"She's fine for now. Tara will pull through; she has something to live for," Rosita soothed Maggie, helping her sit in the chair that she had once occupied, "Sit with her for a while. It will help."

Rosita gave her a bottle of water before disappearing outside. Maggie took Tara's hand holding it tightly, remembering the way those hands had made her feel emotions she never thought she could feel. She looked at the tattoo on Tara's arm remembering with a small smile when Tara told her she should tattoo Maggie's name on her wrist so any new women they ran into would know Tara was claimed.

"You always were a jokester. You were always making me laugh even when I didn't want to," Maggie whispered to Tara as she checked her bandage to see if anything looked wrong with it. Satisfied that Tara's wound was okay, she let herself daydream about her girlfriend.

Maggie had always admired how strong Tara was, not just physically but mentally. Tara had lost her father, her sister, her niece, and a girlfriend but she was always so optimistic. Never once had she complained about whatever dangerous situation the group found themselves in. Maggie realized that Tara never did talk about her losses, she was always listening to everyone else talk about theirs but never her own.

Maggie realized that Tara mostly kept those emotions to herself. When she woke up, Maggie was going to get her to talk about those feelings. It probably wasn't too healthy to keep all of that bottled up; Tara just had a habit of putting everyone else before herself. She had a big heart like that.

Carol walked into the room, interrupting Maggie's thoughts, "You should get some fresh air and come outside for a bit. Besides, it's almost dinnertime and you need to eat something. I don't think Tara would be too happy with us, not taking proper care of you," Carol glanced at the younger woman still passed out on the couch.

"Dinnertime?" Maggie questioned. She must have really lost track of time if it was already evening time. She looked out the window, the sun already going down in the distance.

"You've been in here all day. We just kinda left you alone since we figured that here is where you wanted to be but you need to eat something now. Sasha is going to stay in here with her until you get back," Carol explained as Sasha came into the room giving Maggie a hug.

"How is she?" Sasha asked as she checked to make sure Tara was still breathing.

"Still the same. I'm worried now. I lost track of time. She should have been up by now," Maggie tried to hold back tears that were threatening to come out. Carol put a comforting arm around her.

"Tara will pull through. She always does," Carol gently led Maggie outside so she could get some food while Sasha sat in the chair, watching over her friend.

Maggie sat down on a log next to Rosita, who promptly gave her a can of fruit, "Here…eat." Rosita instructed as she opened the can with her knife. Maggie hadn't realized how hungry she was until the Rosita handed her the can.

Maggie and Rosita chatted for awhile, while the others talked amongst themselves. Maggie hated to admit it but she needed to be out here soaking in the support from all her friends. Just being out here, made her feel a little better.

Suddenly, the door to the house barged open as Sasha came running out. Maggie quickly jumped up, not knowing if she wanted to hear what Sasha so urgently had to say. With one statement, Sasha could bring her immense happiness or single handedly break her heart into pieces.

"Maggie…she's awake! She is a bit out of it but she's awake!" Sasha grinned as Maggie threw her arms around her giving her a huge hug before running into the house, needing to see for herself that Tara was up. Maggie finally reached the couch after what seemed an eternity.

"Hey babe," Tara smiled that famous smile that made Maggie weak in the knees.

"You're ok?" Maggie asked as Tara nodded her head. Maggie rushed to her, quickly bringing her lips to Tara's, letting out all the pain she had felt over the past day of not knowing if Tara would live or die. Tara eagerly kissed her back, her hands roaming her girlfriend's body.

"Damn…someone missed me," Tara said as their kiss ended, Maggie resting her head on Tara's shoulder letting tears fall from her eyes. Tara felt Maggie's body hold back sobs as she cried into her neck. Tara sat up, ignoring the pain as she put her arms around Maggie.

"Hey…it's ok. I'm ok. I'm right here now," Tara tried to soothe her girlfriend, as she felt Maggie's tears wet her shirt, soaking onto her skin.

"I know, but what if you weren't? This past day has been one of the worst in my life. I thought I had lost you," Maggie continued to sob as Tara held her close trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.

"You should know it would take more than a bullet to keep me down," Tara gave her another sensual kiss, which quickly turned passionate as Maggie put all the emotions she felt into that kiss. Tara felt herself start to get excited and hard; having Maggie this close to her only doubled that excitement.

"Well it's good to know that my love machine isn't broken," Tara joked as she covered up with the blanket. No need for everyone in the house to see that. Maggie laughed a sincere laugh as she gave Tara a gentle squeeze.

"I'm definitely glad it's not," Maggie bit her lip, sending shivers down Tara's spine.

"Seriously though, are you in any pain?" Maggie asked as the others joined them, all of them happy to see that Tara was alive and well.

"I'm in a bit of pain but nothing that can slow me down. I'm ready to get back to work already," Tara turned to Rick, trying to ignore the glare Maggie sent her.

"You should rest up for a couple of days before you even think of going back out on supply runs," Rick suggested as he caught wind of the look on Maggie's face.

'We'll see," Tara stubbornly said as Daryl ran into the room. His face lit up when he saw his friend was alive and kicking.

"You son of a bitch…I was so damn worried," Daryl laughed as he gave Tara a hug, looking her over to make sure she was in fact one hundred percent okay.

"You should know our bromance would never die, Daryl," Tara gave Daryl another hug as the others laughed at her antics.

The group spent the next couple of hours surrounded around the couch where Tara was confined to. They joked and laughed, finally content that their family was whole again. Tara was able to get up and walk around a bit under Maggie's watchful eye. Tara was pretty sure she would be fine in a day or two.

"Awesome…two new scars. Chicks dig scars after all, right guys?" Tara looked at the bandage on her stomach as Maggie playfully hit her shoulder.

"Yeah…you aren't showing any girl that scar anytime soon," Maggie threatened playfully as Tara chuckled.

"It's good to know your sense of humor is still intact. We missed our comedic relief around here," Carol stated as she watched the two lovers play around.

"Well, your jokester's back," Tara smiled at the group.

After a few more minutes, Rick held a sleeping Judith in his arms and declared that everyone should get some rest. They would need to rest up as much as they could these next few days because their bus was almost fixed, then they would be on the move again.

Tara decided that she should take a much needed shower to get all the blood off of her and change her clothes which were caked with her dried blood. After reassuring Maggie that she would be fine, she headed up the stairs.

* * *

Tara took a quick shower, washing off all the dried up blood from her earlier ordeal. She would be lying if she said the bullet injury didn't hurt because it felt like she was being stabbed every time she moved. Tara knew she needed to put on a brave face for her friends and for Maggie, despite the hurt.

Just the thought of Maggie was enough to get her dick twitching and growing. The cold water falling on her didn't seem to dissuade it from getting harder. She reached down, moving her hand up and down along her length but knew this wouldn't do. Tara was suddenly struck full of lust, want, and need. She needed Maggie. She quickly got out and got dressed, her dick still raging hard.

Tara made it about halfway down the stairs when Maggie appeared. Perfect.

"I was just coming to check on you," Maggie said as she gave Tara a small kiss.

"Come here real quick," Tara pulled her girlfriend into the nearest room, shutting the door. Before Maggie could react, Tara forced her against the door kissing her with passion and urgency like never before. Tara hitched her hips forward so Maggie could feel how much she wanted her.

"You're going...to hurt yourself. Your injury," Maggie tried to keep her resolve but it was quickly diminishing. She knew Tara could end up hurting herself if things got too rough.

"I don't give a fuck about my injury. I just want to fuck you so hard that by the time I'm done with you, you won't be able to stand up straight," Tara growled as she nipped at Maggie's neck making the other woman moan.

Maggie's body responded immediately to Tara, she felt herself get wet. Tara undid the button on her jeans, reaching down to feel her hot pussy.

"Someone's wet," Tara smirked as she dipped two long fingers into Maggie, feeling her wetness coat her fingers.

Maggie moaned as Tara rubbed her clit, and pumped her fingers in and out of her dripping core. Tara could feel Maggie was close to orgasm, so she continued the movements with her fingers until she felt Maggie's walls clinch around them.

"Oh...fuck...Tara!" Maggie cried out as her body convulsed with pleasure.

"Fuck..." Maggie rested her head on Tara's shoulder, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm still not done with you," Tara said as picked her up and carried her over to the bed, gently laying her down. She quickly discarded Maggie's clothes, needing to feel her soft skin.

Maggie reached between them; working to free Tara's raging hard on from its restraints. Teasingly slow, she unbuttoned Tara's plaid shirt, pushing it over her shoulders and onto the floor. She softly traced the bandage on Tara's torso, as her other hand reached down to pump Tara's massive erection.

"Fuck, you're good at that," Tara leaned down to kiss the goddess beneath her, biting lightly on Maggie's bottom lip.

"Let me show you what else I'm good at," Maggie gently pushed Tara off, climbing on top of her. She placed soft kisses down her abs, coming to the bandage where she placed a kiss on it before moving down.

Keeping eye contact with Tara's dark lustful eyes, Maggie teasingly smiled before taking a languid lick up against her cock.

"Shit…" Tara hissed with pleasure, as she felt her body tighten from the all consuming feeling of Maggie's tongue on her cock. Maggie continued to take long, slow licks up her dick as Tara let her head hit the pillow.

Maggie moaned, slowly trailing the tip of her tongue up and down Tara. Maggie's mouth was pure torture as it sucked her here and nipped her there, Tara gripped the sheet with hands trying hard not to hitch her hips up to force more of herself into Maggie's mouth. Finally, sensing Tara's urgency, Maggie began to slowly take her into her mouth.

"Fuck," Tara whimpered watching as she slowly disappeared down the brunette's throat. Wanting to be of some help, she softly gripped Maggie's head and pushed herself in little by little.

Tara felt like she was going to explode, "Fuck...Maggie," Tara moaned as she pulled her hips back until just her tip was resting in her girlfriend's heated mouth before pushing back in, making sure to keep a firm hold on Maggie's head.

Tara slowly increased her pace until she was steadily rocking her hips back and forth, almost her whole length soaking in Maggie's wet mouth only to pull out and do it again.

Tara could feel that familiar feeling in her body and knew she was close, "Hey baby, I'm about to cum so if you don't want to swallow, you're gonna have to let me go."

Maggie only stared at Tara as she took her in even deeper. Watching Maggie take her dick deeper into her mouth made Tara's body start to convulse as she let go, hitching her hips up as her cock spewed cum down Maggie's throat. Maggie greedily swallowing all of it, making sure she got every last drop.

"How was that?" she asked as she leaned down to give Tara a kiss, her tongue entwining with the other woman's.

"Fuckin' hot as hell," Tara answered as she flipped them over so that she was on top now, ready to dominate.

Maggie could feel that Tara was hard again, the tip of her cock teasingly rubbing the outside of her wet, wanting pussy.

"Please...I want you. I need you inside me," Maggie begged as she moved her hips forward wanting to take all of Tara in.

Tara knowing she couldn't leave her girl begging, roughly plunged into Maggie's wetness, marveling at how tight she felt as her walls clenched her cock. Tara gave her a minute to get used to the fullness, before she pulled out, making Maggie whimper, as she plowed her way deep inside again.

"You're mine," Tara growled as she fucked Maggie relentlessly, not caring at all to be gentle. This primal need to make the woman beneath her hers, mixed in with the pain from her injury put her in a territory where there was no turning back. She was going to show Maggie who she belonged to.

"I'm all yours…I'm all yours, Tara," Maggie whispered as she ran her nails down Tara's back making sure to leave long scratches, bringing her body as close as she could to Tara's. Maggie could feel that she was close to the edge with every thrust that invaded her body. She picked up the rhythm in her hips, pulling Tara in even deeper than before.

Tara pulled out making Maggie whimper until suddenly she thrust all the way back in. Maggie's thighs fell open, hands scratching down her girlfriend's back as Tara propped her weight up on her hands and knees and drove into Maggie with quick desperate strokes.

The coil inside tightened as Tara's orgasm built. She shifted her weight to one arm and reached down to wrap her other arm beneath Maggie's hips, lifting to drive deeper. Maggie watched in awe as all of Tara's muscles were outlined as she drove herself deeper inside of her. Maggie arched her back off of the bed as a scream ripped from Maggie's throat as her orgasm punched throughout her. Tara bit her lip, trying to fight hers off but as Maggie's hot walls convulsed around her member she couldn't keep that coil from snapping and again she was filling Maggie with hot spurts of cum as she came deep inside her.

Tara collapsed on top of Maggie as all the energy escaped her body. "Fuck…that was amazing," she whispered to Maggie as she leaned in for a passionate kiss.

Maggie responded by kissing her more fiercely. "That was more than amazing…" Maggie sighed happily, as she made sure Tara stayed in her.

Maggie reached down to the bandage, softly caressing it with her fingers, "You sure you didn't hurt yourself?" she asked as she looked into Tara's eyes, which were full of unconditional love for her.

"No…I'm fine. Did I hurt you?" Tara asked in a concerned tone, hiding the fact that her injury was bothering her and hurt like hell. Maggie could see right through Tara's facade as she checked the wound to make sure no stitches were damaged.

Satisfied that it was okay, she nodded her head, "Just a little bit, but it was a good hurt," she replied lazily as she closed her eyes, feeling sleep coming upon her.

The last thing Maggie heard before sleep finally took her over was Tara telling her to get some rest while she held Maggie close in her protective arms.

* * *

Author's note: Another chapter done. Sorry for the long chapters. The story just wants to be written a certain way, and so far it has a lot to say. Anyways, as I have stated before, I already know where I'm gonna be taking this and have a lot of ideas. But if there is anything you would like to see in particular, don't be afraid to shoot me a line. I'm sure if I haven't thought of it already I can incorporate it in somehow. Have a good week!


	5. All Through The Night

Maggie woke up a short time later feeling the spot next to her was vacant, the warmth she had grown used to gone. She looked out the window seeing it was still dark, with the moonlight cascading into the window. She sat up scanning the room looking for Tara. She saw her getting dressed, buttoning up her plaid shirt. Tara sensing that Maggie was awake turned to her, smiling.

"Hey darlin'...I was just going to see if Daryl needed any help with the night watch," Tara explained as she buckled up her belt.

"Come back to bed. I'm sure Daryl can manage by himself. I just wanna be with you especially after everything that happened. Besides, you should be restin' so you can get better," Maggie let the sheet that was covering her fall a bit so Tara could have a peek at her body.

Tara already knew she couldn't say no to Maggie, especially when she was giving her those seductive looks. Well, it looked like Daryl would have to wait a while until their bromance could commence.

Tara laid back down pulling Maggie close to her. She sighed with content as she placed a soft kiss on her girlfriend's head. Tara had never been a big cuddle person before but with Maggie, she just wanted her close as much as possible. With other girls, Tara had been quick to leave as soon as she got what she wanted. Even in her short lived relationships, she often had an excuse for not sticking around after sex. Maggie, though was different. Tara actually loved her and was not playing some game.

"What are you thinking about?" she heard Maggie ask as the other woman pulled herself even closer, trying to soak in all the love Tara could give her.

"Nothing much. Just that I was never a big cuddle person until I met you. Now I can't get enough," she felt Maggie smile against her.

"Well, I take that as a compliment, especially since I know about your previous conquests," Maggie giggled as she gave Tara a quick kiss.

They were silent for the next few minutes. Tara was trying not to focus on the pain that radiated from her bullet wound when she heard Maggie break the comfortable silence.

"Tell me about your family. You never talk about them. I've told you about my father, my mother, step mother, step brother, and Beth, but you never talk about your family. Even when we're with the others and they're talking about their loved ones, you never mention anything about yours. Why?" Maggie asked the question that had been nagging at her for a while now.

"Well, they are all dead. That's something about them," Tara stated without any real emotion.

"You know what I meant," Maggie expressed in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Sorry...I'm not that great with all that emotional crap. I would rather just bury it, and not talk about it. Try to humor myself out of the sad feelings. My dad died from lung cancer about a year after the turn. I saw my sister get swarmed, ripped apart by hundreds of walkers and there was nothing I could do. I saw the Governor shoot my niece in the head after she got bit by a walker. Yeah...nothing too happy about all of that. I was ready to die that day but Glenn found me and needed my help," Tara sighed sadly as she tried to stay strong, keeping the emotions out of her voice.

"What were they like before everything went downhill? What were you like? I don't even know what you did for a living before the turn," Maggie wondered as she gave Tara a small kiss of encouragement.

"Well, my dad was awesome. We were really close because we were interested in the same things like sports and cars. He taught me how to step up, be brave, strong...all of that good stuff. My favorite times with dad were when we would just stay in the garage all day restoring that 69 Mustang. Plus, he would let me drive it when we were done. That car was amazing," Tara laughed as she remembered going way over the speed limits in that red sports car.

"Plus, my dad taught me how to ride his old Harley Davidson. Man, that bike was sweet. I must say I did look pretty hot on that motorcycle," Tara said as the memories of those long bike rides came flooding back to her. She needed to find a bike soon; maybe Daryl would help her with that mission.

Maggie smiled as she heard the joy in Tara's voice; obviously she had been very close to her father just like she had been with Hershel. "What about your mother?"

"She died when I was about four. She was in a car accident. I don't really remember her much. Lily, my sister, was seven years older than me so she had a lot more memories of mom than I did," Tara nonchalantly replied about her mother before she continued.

"Lily could be a pain in the ass sometimes. She was always lecturing me and trying to get me not to curse so much. That woman was always telling me that I needed to settle down and quit putting notches on my belt but I loved her so much. She was my big sister after all. Lily just wanted what was best for me. We were pretty close and I would have done anything to protect her," Tara paused for a minute before she went on with her story.

"Then she married that douchebag for some reason. Meghan's father was a real prick. Only good thing that came from him was Meghan," Tara went quiet as she thought about her former brother-in-law.

"What did he do?" Maggie asked wondering what the man had done to make Tara hate him so much.

"Scott just wasn't a good guy. I don't know what she ever saw in him. He always talked down to her, always getting angry at the little things. Then Lily got pregnant so they got married. My dad was totally against it but there was nothing he could do," Tara gently pushed a few stray hairs out of Maggie's face.

"Then one day Lily showed up at my apartment with a black eye and Meghan had bruises on her arms. I was pretty livid at that point. No way was he going to get away with abusing them like that. So I went to their house and beat the shit out of him," Maggie definitely believed Tara on that account. When Tara got mad there was no stopping her, especially if she was protecting someone she loved. Maggie had witnessed that side of her the night of Glenn's death.

"So the next day he took off, abandoning his wife and child. All I could think of, was good riddance. My dad was proud of me for showing Scott a lesson, but Lily was pretty distraught for some reason. So I decided to step up for Meghan and become a surrogate parent to her. If her mom was too busy at work, I would pick her up from school or take her to her gymnastic lessons. All that fun stuff," Tara smiled as she recalled her niece who used to be so full of life.

"What did you do before the everything went downhill?" Maggie was very curious at what her girlfriend used to do.

"I was a cop...a rookie for the Atlanta PD to be honest. I had only been on the force for about eight months when the turn happened," Tara told Maggie as she ran her hand up and down Maggie's body, feeling her soft skin.

"Wow...you must of looked hot in that cop uniform," Maggie laughed as she tried to picture Tara in one.

"Well, if you must know I did look pretty good. You wouldn't have been able to keep your hands off of me," Tara joked with a mischievous smile.

"You're probably right," Maggie agreed giving Tara another sensual kiss.

"So no kids of your own?" Maggie curiously asked Tara. She had always wondered if Tara had any children of her own with someone out there. Maggie remembered asking Glenn about it one day, but he told her Tara never brought up any kids in their long talks.

"Not that I knew of. If I did have any out there no one told me about them but I was pretty good at being safe. So the position of being my baby mama is still open," Tara wiggled her eyebrows as her girlfriend laughed at her shenanigans.

"I will keep that in mind." Maggie responded as she playfully smacked Tara's arm.

Tara smiled at her then continued, "Then when the turn happened, my family and I holed up in my apartment complex. Then Brian came around, and against my better judgment I trusted him with my family and the well, you know the rest. I still feel really guilty about what happened to your father and the prison."

Maggie remained silent for a moment as she laid her head on Tara's shoulder, wondering if she should reveal to Tara the horrors the Governor had put her through besides the killing of her father and the prison standoff.

"I need to tell you something that happened that involved the Governor," Maggie placed a soft kiss on Tara's neck as she tried to decide how to tell Tara about the time the ruthless Governor had kidnapped her and Glenn.

"One day, Glenn and I went on a supply run to get Judith some baby formula. One of the Governor's men kidnapped us and took us back to his settlement. He wanted to know the location of the prison but we wouldn't give him the information," Maggie felt some tears start to build up in her eyes.

"That is when he decided to take things too far," Maggie felt the tears fall as Tara gently wiped them away.

"He separated us. They took Glenn to a room next to the one I was in. We still wouldn't give up the location so he had his guys start to beat Glenn relentlessly. I could hear it from the next room," Maggie cried as the memories of that horrible day came back to her.

"I tried to get the Governor to get his men to stop beating Glenn but he wouldn't. Then...he made me take off my shirt. If I didn't, he threatened to cut off Glenn's hand and bring it to me," Tara listened to Maggie's story not sure if she was liking where this was going. She could feel her blood start to boil.

"He then...he then raped me. The Governor told me if I didn't give him what he wanted he would kill Glenn and everyone else at the prison. I tried to fight back but he was too strong...too sadistic..." Maggie let the tears fall as she confessed to Tara the horrible details of that day.

"That motherfucker! If I had known he did that to you, I would have put a bullet in his fuckin' brain the minute I saw him. I can't believe I trusted him and let him put his measly hands all over my sister," Tara jumped out of the bed, pacing back and forth in the room, beyond pissed. She wanted to bring back Brian just so she could kill him for hurting Maggie in that way.

Tara turned to look at Maggie, her heart nearly breaking at the sight of her girlfriend sobbing. Tara quickly went over to her, holding her close, feeling Maggie's tears soak through her shirt, "Hey sweetheart...baby...it's okay. I can't even imagine what you went through but I'm here for you now. You know I would kill anyone who tried to hurt you. No hesitation," Tara soothed as she held Maggie close to her, rocking her softly.

After a few minutes, Maggie's cries began to die down as she placed a couple of light kisses on Tara's shoulder. Suddenly, a thought crossed Tara's mind that filled her with anxiety.

"I don't do anything that triggers flashbacks do I? I know I can be rough sometimes," Tara looked at Maggie with worry in her eyes. She would die before she hurt Maggie in any way.

"No...I know you would never do anything I wouldn't want to do," Maggie gave her a kiss of reassurance.

"You know I would never hurt you in any way and you can tell me to stop no matter what. Even if I'm seconds from getting off and you want to stop just tell me," Tara made sure Maggie knew this as she gave her another soft kiss.

"I know you would never hurt me," Maggie looked into Tara's eyes seeing nothing but love in them. She couldn't believe that she was lucky enough to call Tara hers. Tara was everything she ever wanted in a partner and more.

"I still wished I had killed Brian the second I saw him," Tara commented as she pulled Maggie closer to her, needing to comfort her after that gruesome revelation.

"If you had, we probably wouldn't have met. My dad always said things happen for a reason. I like to think I went through all that pain so I could end up with you and be happy," Maggie gave Tara another sensual kiss, biting softly on Tara's lip.

"If this whole walker thing never happened, we probably never would have met. After all, you're a small town country farm girl and I'm just one of those city slickers," Tara joked which made Maggie smile. Silence surrounded them for a few minutes, as they became lost in their own thoughts.

"I have something for you," Tara reached into her pocket pulling out a beautiful necklace with a small diamond pendant.

"I found it when I was out on a run. I thought it was beautiful. Not as beautiful as you of course, but I thought you would like something from me in case I'm gone for more than a day or two on supply runs," Maggie felt her eyes tear up with joy at the thoughtful gift Tara had gotten her. She would be sure to treasure this necklace forever.

"I love it so much," Maggie cried as she sat up slightly so Tara could help put the necklace on her.

"You're so gorgeous. One day I will get you a ring," Tara promised as she placed a chaste kiss on Maggie's neck.

"Make love to me," Maggie whispered in Tara's ear as she gently bit her earlobe sending shock waves through Tara's body. Tara looked down into those beautiful green eyes, feeling the warmth that traveled through her body every time Maggie looked at her with pure love.

Tara leaned down, pulling Maggie into a deep kiss, grounding her hips down hard into Maggie's causing them both to moan at the friction. Tara placed soft kisses down Maggie's neck until she reached her immaculate breasts, taking a nipple between her lips and sucking until it peaked in her mouth.

She nipped at it softly as Maggie's chest arched off the bed; her hands wrapped themselves around Tara's body trying to feel the skin under her shirt. Tara trailed her kisses across Maggie's chest before sucking in her other nipple, running circles with her tongue around the bud.

Legs wrapped up around Tara's waist and hips jerked up into her. She felt herself grow hard, making her moan into Maggie's chest. The urge burned through her, making her mouth begin to water. Tara wanted nothing more than to taste the stunning woman beneath her. She released Maggie's nipple with a wet pop and began trailing kisses down her soft skin until she reached her girlfriend's dripping center.

Tara looked down, smirking at how wet Maggie was for her. Maggie never had to tease Tara much to get a reaction, but that didn't stop her. A finger reached out, slowly tracing over the raging hard on in Tara's jeans. Slowly, she unbuckled Tara's belt that was obstructing her way, reaching down and feeling how rock solid Tara was in that moment.

Fire immediately burned through Tara's veins with Maggie's soft touch. She had thought she was hard before but now she was practically pulsing with need. She shook her head trying to calm herself down. Tara wanted to please Maggie and make this moment perfect, not be driven by the desire to fill her to the brim with her seed. Tara bit back the craving, forcing herself to keep some composure instead of roughly filling Maggie like she wanted to.

To quench the insatiable yearning, Tara leaned forward and lapped greedily at Maggie's dripping wet center. Juices poured down into her mouth, coating her senses. Tara didn't think she could stop herself even if she wanted to. Her hips pushed down into the bed, trying to relieve herself some but that wouldn't happen until she came inside of Maggie. Thighs trembled around her head, hands clenched painfully in her hair.

Maggie came hard, screaming Tara's name as her body exploded with bliss. Tara licked until every drop was swallowed and kept licking, needing to bring her lover over the brink again. Maggie curled up on herself and began to thrust against Tara's face.

"Oh my god...fuck..." Maggie chanted that phrase until her head fell back onto the pillow.

"Oh...fuck...Tara!" Maggie came again in a rush of salty sweetness that poured out onto Tara's waiting tongue. God, Maggie tasted so good, like nothing she had ever tasted before.

Tara pulled back for air, kissing the area around Maggie's wanting entrance before smirking mischievously. Suddenly, she shoved her tongue inside, rubbing it against the roof of Maggie's pulsing walls. Tara pulled back, running her tongue in circles around Maggie's entrance before trailing up and sucking hard at her girlfriend's clit. Maggie exploded again before she collapsed on the bed in a heap of exhausted limps and sweat.

"Fuck...that was so amazing. What came over you?" Maggie asked still panting but not moving otherwise.

"Gotta make sure my girl is taken care of," Tara looked at her, Maggie shivered when she saw how dark her eyes were with arousal.

Tara trailed kisses up from thighs, over hips, around Maggie's breasts but avoiding the nipples until she reached her shoulder. Tara smiled and nipped slightly at a mark she left there earlier when she bit Maggie in the throes of passion.

Maggie hissed pushing her hips up until she flipped them. Maggie straddled Tara holding her in place, she wanted to be control this time. Then Maggie slowly lowered herself on Tara's rock hard member, back arched and head tossed back taking her in inch by inch. They didn't start a rhythm, just stayed still, feeling connected in the most physical and emotional way.

Maggie looked down with such intensity she wasn't prepared for. Her breath caught in her lungs and her heart squeezed. Their hands simultaneously reached out, fingers lacing together as their eyes stayed connected. Tara rocked her hips, normally she'd close her eyes at the feeling of the warm, velvet walls that surrounded her completely as they worked to milk her for everything she was worth. This time was different though. Having this passionate connection with Maggie, she never wanted to close her eyes. Tara would never forget this look, this feeling.

Tara felt the pleasure build up in the base of her spine far quicker than she wanted. She wanted this moment to last forever. To just lie here with Maggie, making love for hours until the world ended around them. Maggie leaned down, forehead resting against hers, their intense gaze never wavered. The room filled with their pants and the wet thrusts they made against each other.

Everything twisted inside Tara and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold it off much longer. With the way Maggie was gripping at her hands, she knew she was close as well. Maggie stopped thrusting above her and began to roll her hips, providing the right friction to send them both over.

"I love you," Tara whispered seconds before they came crashing together. Her body convulsed, hips locking as she came, spurt after spurt inside of her girlfriend. Maggie's lips glazed over hers as they breathed in deep breaths, riding out the ways of their orgasms.

"I love you too," Maggie sighed once she gathered her breath. Maggie collapsed on top of Tara, head coming to rest on her chest as they came down from their highs. Tara bit back the sudden need to dominate the other woman. Feeling herself harden once again as she willed her body to calm down and not ruin the loving moment between them. It took a long time for her to soften and when she finally did, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Maggie kept Tara buried in deep, not wanting to lose the connection they had between them. The night sky slowly turned to dawn as they finally fell into an exhausted sleep.

* * *

The next morning Maggie and Tara reluctantly got up to see if any help was needed downstairs. They made it about halfway down the stairs when Carol showed up looking for them.

"There you guys are. I have been looking everywhere for y'all. Maggie, I was wondering if you wanted to look through that barn with me to see if there is anything useful. We have been here for a few days and just forgot about it with everything that was going on," Carol explained as she took in their slightly disheveled appearance, guessing they didn't get much sleep the night before.

"Yeah, of course, I would love to help," Maggie replied as she gave Tara a brief kiss before joining Carol.

"I'm gonna see what Daryl and Rick are up to," Tara announced as she started to exit the house only to be stopped by Rosita.

"Not so fast Casanova. I need to check that wound, clean it up, and put on a new bandage," Rosita grabbed Tara by the arm leading her to a dining room chair.

"Sit," She instructed as Tara did what she was told, "Now lift up your shirt," the Hispanic woman ordered as she produced some some gauze and bandages out of her backpack.

"Well Rosita, I thought you would at least let me buy you dinner before we went to this level," Tara joked as she lifted up her shirt to show Rosita her wound.

Rosita just rolled her eyes at Tara's comment, "Yeah, we crossed that line a long time ago," she laughed as she inspected Tara's stitches, cleaning them gently, then changing the bandage.

"Does it hurt?" Rosita asked as she gently grazed her fingers over the bandage.

"Nope. I'm as good as new," Tara lied hiding the fact that it did hurt immensely, not wanting to seem weak, especially in front of an ex hook up.

"Whatever...you're lying," Rosita tried to see through her.

"It's fine, I swear," Tara retorted.

"So it wouldn't hurt if I did this?" Rosita put a little pressure on the stitches.

"Ow! What the hell! Not so rough," Tara jumped up letting her shirt drop so Rosita couldn't hurt her anymore.

"You never complained about roughness before," the slightly shorter woman joked.

"Ha...ha...very funny," Tara mocked as she grabbed her knife and gun, putting them in their appropriate holsters.

"Are we done?" she asked eagerly wanting to get out of the house after being confined for so long.

"Yeah we are done. Be careful. Don't overdue it with the activity," Rosita told her as they walked outside.

"I can't promise anything," Tara walked away leaving Rosita shaking her head.

Tara scanned the front yard, seeing what everyone was up to. As usual Abraham and Eugene were with the bus, digging through the engine. Maggie, Carol, and Carl were still in the barn exploring whatever it contained. Sasha had Judith and was playing with her in the grass. Rick, Daryl, and Michonne were discussing something so she decided to join them to see if they needed any help.

"Hey guys what's up?" Tara asked as she joined their circle.

"Nothin. I was just tellin' Rick that I wanted to go huntin' around the woods. See if I can find some fresh meat," Daryl told her as she gave him a fist bump.

"You want some help?" Going out into the woods definitely appealed to her right now.

"Hell yeah...it's always an adventure with you around," Daryl patted her shoulder, "Plus, I can show ya some trackin' skills," he added as he rested his crossbow against his side.

"Shouldn't you be resting? I mean you did just get shot the other day," Michonne asked with concern.

"It's nothing I can't handle," Tara told her as Rick just laughed.

"Yeah, I'm sure Maggie won't think so. You don't want to make the missus mad," Rick remarked, looking behind Tara seeing that Maggie and Carol were making their way towards them.

"Well, she will be okay with it. I mean she has to be cuz clearly I wear the pants in this relationship," Tara announced completely unaware that her girlfriend was behind her, hearing her bold statement.

Daryl, Michonne, and Rick each looked away, not making eye contact with Tara. Tara confused by the sudden change in their behavior figured she must of been in some kind of trouble.

"She's right behind me, isn't she?" Tara gulped as she wondered how much trouble she was in now.

"Yup..." Rick answered as Carol laughed about the situation happening in front of her. Tara slowly turned around, seeing that Maggie was indeed behind her, standing with her arms crossed and an unamused look on her face.

"Hey babe...I didn't know you were there," Tara tried to soothe things over, "I definitely didn't mean what I said. Obviously, you are the one who's in control between us. I just wanted to seem tough in front of my buddies."

"Uh huh..." Maggie muttered as she tried hard to stay mad at her nervous girlfriend but couldn't help the giggle that escaped when she saw what a mess Tara was, trying to explain herself. Tara was just too cute when she was trying to get out of the doghouse.

Suddenly, Carl came bounding over with a football he had found in the barn. "Hey anyone want to throw the ball around for a few minutes?" the teen asked as he bounded up to the group.

'Saved by the bell,' Tara thought as she took the ball from Carl.

"I will! Back in the day I used to have quite an arm," Tara volunteered as she prepared to throw the ball.

"You better be careful or you won't go hunting later," Maggie threatened as Tara positioned her fingers on the ball.

"Always am babe," Tara gave her a wink that sent shivers through Maggie's body.

'Damn Tara and her charming ways,' Maggie thought as she watched with the others as Tara told Carl to go long, throwing a perfect spiral throw.

"Damn, I still got it! Y'all see that? That's how it's done, son!" she yelled as Carl caught the ball.

"Now throw it back!" Tara instructed, as Carl threw the football back to Tara who caught it with ease.

The others watched as the two threw the ball back and forth. Carl had just thrown the football when Tara got distracted by Abraham asking her to come look at the engine briefly for a quick second opinion. She definitely wasn't prepared when the ball hit her hard in the crotch. Her friends watched in dismay as the ball hit her with enough force to bring her down instantly.

Tara felt all the breath leave her body as she went down to her knees, grabbing herself trying to shield herself from any more pain, "Fuckin' shit...motherfucker!" she cried as everyone ran to her.

"Are you ok?" Maggie knelt down beside her.

"I'm fine...I'm fine." Tara replied as Rick, Abraham, and Carol tried to stifle their laughter. Tara always did seem to find herself in amusing predicaments.

"You guys suck, laughing at my pain," she glared at them as they continued to laugh. Tara knew she couldn't do much with the amount of pain pulsing through her body.

Carl came running up to her with worry in his voice, "I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I swear it was an accident."

"It's all good buddy," Tara gave the teen a weak fist bump, "I think I'm just going to lay here for a bit and hope I can still have kids after this."

Tara winced in pain as she moved a bit, still holding herself. Maggie started laughing at that point, trying to keep the giggles from coming out.

"It's okay, you guys can laugh at my misery," Tara allowed as the group broke out into laughter. "Yeah let's just hope it's not broken," she added which just made them snicker more.

"Oh please...it would take more than a football to break that stallion," Rosita said as she joined the group after seeing all the commotion. Maggie and Abraham both glared at Rosita for a second. Maggie wasn't sure if she liked that comment about her girlfriend but decided to let it slide. Tara and Rosita were close friends after all, and they didn't seem to still be into each other. They just played around a lot which could make Maggie a bit jealous.

"When you can get up and walk around, then we'll go," Daryl said as he went to go pack up some water for their short hunting trip. Carol followed him so she could be sure he took what he needed and not forget anything.

"Yeah, Rick can help me with that second opinion," Abraham gruffly walked away, heading back to the bus. Rick, Michonne, and Carl followed the red head after giving Tara a last look, a bit confused by Abraham's abrupt change of behavior. The teenager once again apologizing for accidentally hurting Tara.

"Guess I took that joke too far," Rosita sighed as she turned to catch up with her boyfriend. Maggie watched as the other woman jogged away.

"Yeah that joke did go a little too far," Maggie told Tara, the other woman still in a lot of pain.

"She was only kidding. You know that. We just joke around," Tara winced as she moved to sit up.

"I know. It's just the whole situation sucks and sometimes I get jealous that she had you first. I try not to since y'all are good friends, and you've known her longer than me but still," Maggie admitted as she looked towards the Hispanic woman who was at the bus helping the others.

"Well, if I had known I had a chance with you, I never would have slept with her," Tara took Maggie's hand in her own, giving it a small kiss.

"I just need to get over it. I know you belong to me. You're my knight in shining armor after all," Maggie smiled at Tara, loving the grin Tara was giving her.

"Always will be, babe," Tara leaned over to kiss her.

Their kiss quickly became passionate as Tara let her hands wander on her girlfriend's body. She felt that familiar twitch as she slowly began to get hard, the blood flowing to her pulsing member.

"Well, I guess the stallion isn't broken after all," Tara joked as Maggie laughed, taking in the growing tent in Tara's pants.

"That didn't take long. Does it still hurt?" Maggie gave her a small, gentle rub.

"Just a little bit. But I'm pretty sure I can walk and stuff. Hopefully it's not bruised," Tara winced a bit at the thought.

"Well if it is, I'll be sure to kiss it later," Maggie gave her a seductive smile which made the fire light up in Tara's blood.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Tara stood up, reaching down to help Maggie up, "You look so beautiful, especially with that necklace on," Tara couldn't keep from complimenting the woman who held the key to her heart.

"You know exactly what to say to a girl to make her feel special," Maggie pulled Tara in for a hug, placing her head on her shoulder. After a few minutes, Tara softly kissed her head.

"I'm gonna get going. I'm sure Daryl is waiting for me. You know how impatient he can be." she looked around seeing her rugged friend waiting by the bus, hunting gear ready.

"Be careful please. I love you," Maggie kissed Tara gently on the lips.

"I always am babe," Tara winked at her as she took her hand, leading her towards the others.

After telling everybody goodbye, Tara and Daryl headed out in good spirits. In fact, everybody in the group was in a good mood. Nobody had any clue that by the end of the day, the family would be in a fight between life and death.

* * *

A/N: Well there's another chapter done. This is more of a filler in chapter before some action happens in the next one. Yay...action! Plus, I can be a hopeless romantic at times so I wanted some fluff between Maggie/Tara. :) Also am I the only one who thinks Tara would look hot on a motorcycle? :D Daryl looks hot on one already...haha. Also thanks for the reviews I have gotten a lot more than I thought I would so thanks!


	6. Killing Strangers

Warning: There are a few derogatory terms and racial slurs in this chapter because bad guys don't care who they insult. Just know I never use that kind of language in my day to day life. I'm all about the love.

Chapter 6

The day slowly grew cooler as yellow leaves were lifted off the trees by the wind signaling the arrival of fall. Tara and Daryl spent most of their time hunting squirrels and rabbits in the woods. Daryl taught her the fundamentals on how to use a crossbow and had to admit she would be good with the weapon if she practiced a bit.

They were walking the few miles back to their temporary house when Daryl suddenly started laughing. The laughter got the best of him as he stopped walking to compose himself.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Tara looked at him with confusion all over her face.

"I was just thinkin about that football hittin' ya in the sack. Man that was some funny shit." Daryl finally stopped laughing enough to tell her what was so amusing.

"Oh yeah that was so hilarious. Glad everyone had a laugh at my expense." Tara said sarcastically as she reached down to make sure her member was still okay after that traumatic event.

"Yeah I know that shit can hurt but man it was just so fuckin' funny. Probably the funniest damn thing I've seen in a while." The rugged man admitted as he continued on walking.

"Well if getting hit in the dick with a football makes my best bro laugh then I guess it's worth it." Tara chuckled as she walked besides Daryl keeping an eye out for any danger.

"Best bro huh?" Daryl asked curiously. He had to admit Tara had a soft spot in his heart. He would definitely count her as a best friend. After Glenn's death, they had become close going on runs together and doing night watches. Now Daryl couldn't imagine his life without his best "bromance" in it, as Tara affectionately called their relationship.

"Yup. When I first met you I was pretty intimidated but as I got to know you, I knew you and I would be good friends. And here we are now. Best bros." Tara gave him a fist bump.

They were silent for a while. "We should find a motorcycle. Fix it up. Take turns riding it on the trip to Washington DC. I miss the feelin' of riding a bike." Tara broke the easy silence with her idea.

"I didn't know you could ride a motorcycle." Daryl admitted as he looked around for any impending dangers.

"Hell yeah I can. My dad taught me when I was a teenager. I think I rode that bike more than dad did after a while." Tara stated proudly. Her father had been very proud of her the day she showed interest in his bike, quickly teaching his daughter how to use a motorcycle.

"What did your ol' man have?" Daryl asked intrigued with the idea of getting a chopper. He certainly missed the feeling of riding a motorcycle; it had been months since he had been on one.

"An old Harley Davidson. That thing was a beast and an ultimate chick magnet." Tara thought back to all the bike rides she took her dates on, remembering the feel of having a woman wrapped around her as the chopper glided down the open road.

"Bad ass, man. But fuck yeah let's find a bike in that mess of cars up the road from the house. Fix it up real good. Take that hoe to Washington or wherever the fuck we end up." Daryl laughed as he gave Tara another fist bump.

"Hells yes! Knowing Abe, he's still gonna spend a few more days on that bus so we have plenty of time to get a bike in working order. Plus, I'm sure Maggie wouldn't mind riding with me." Tara let her thoughts wander to Maggie holding her close on a motorcycle.

"Sounds like a plan." Daryl agreed, excited at the prospect of having a motorcycle again. Nothing beat feeling the open road on a badass chopper.

They continued on their way only a couple of miles out when they heard a group of walkers. Looking up ahead, in their path, was a herd of about fourteen walkers wandering around aimlessly until the creatures caught wind of their scent and started to descend upon a potential meal.

"Fuckin' damn things. You take the left. I'll take the right." Daryl directed as he pulled out his knife, planting it into the head of the female walker closest to him. Tara went to the other side of the walker herd, grabbing one by the shirt before driving her knife into its skull. Letting the corpse fall to the ground, she went on to the next one expertly killing all the walkers in her way. Daryl let the last one fall, pulling his knife out of its gooey brain.

"I don't like the looks of this. This area was clear just a few days ago. Now there are herds comin' through. We need to get back and warn the others before we have a farmhouse situation again." Daryl snagged his gear, picking up his pace not liking the feeling that was settling upon him.

"Farmhouse situation?" Tara questioned as she kept up with Daryl's quick strides. "Yeah when we first met Maggie, she was at Hershel's farmhouse. One night a herd of walkers just showed up and we got ran out by them. There were maybe a couple hundred of them maybe more." Daryl explained as he quickened his pace even more.

They quickly jogged to the house as fast as they could, each of them feeling some kind of urgency to get back. Tara knew Daryl had a feeling something wasn't right. She wanted to get to the house as soon as possible mostly to see if Maggie was okay and protect her if she wasn't.

The groans and moans of walkers filled their ears before the house even came into view. Tara could barely believe her eyes as she saw what looked like hundreds of walkers descending upon the land around the house. The house itself looked untouched by the creepers as they slowly headed into the surrounding woods. Tara looked at Daryl who was surveying the layout and the situation in front of them.

Suddenly the thought of Maggie needing her help filled her mind as she grabbed her knife, starting to run in the direction of the house. She didn't get too far when she felt Daryl's arms wrap around her, holding her back from confronting the hungry walkers.

"Let me the fuck go! I need to get to Maggie!" Tara yelled at Daryl trying to get out of his strong grip.

"Stop dammit! If you go out there you're only gonna get us killed. I saw Maggie out in the distance on the edge of the woods behind the fields." He felt Tara still struggling against him.

"She was with Carol, Sasha, and Rosita. They took off into the woods goin' north. Carol won't let anything happen to them, we hadda plan if things went south we would meet a few miles out. Carol will follow that. We will have to take the long way around but we should get there in a few hours." Daryl finally felt Tara stop struggling against him as he cautiously let her go.

"What about Rick? Did you see him?" Tara asked worried about her friends, hoping everyone made it out before the hungry herd attacked.

"Yeah...Rick, Michonne, Carl, and the baby were headed out in the west. They will probably run into the girls before us. Abraham and Eugene were able to get into the woods not too far from Rick's group. They should meet up soon also." Daryl looked around seeing all the walkers heading into the desolate woods.

"Come on; let's go the long way on the road. There shouldn't be many walkers that way." Daryl said but Tara spotted something a few yards away on the ground from their position.

"Hold on, there is something or someone over there." She pointed out to Daryl as she ran towards the object with her friend following close behind her.

They both stopped dead in their tracks as they took in the scene in front of them. Two women were tied up with gags in their mouths left for the walkers to savage. Tara closed her eyes for a second not wanting to think about the horrible death that these women had suffered.

"Shit...maybe someone lured those walkers here. Maybe they have been stakin' us out. Either way this was deliberate. Someone left these women here to attract walkers." Daryl knelt down by the bodies seeing if he could find any clues about the perpetrators.

"We need to get to the others fast. Especially if someone went to all this trouble to try to kill us." Tara said worriedly as Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Right. There ain't many walkers around the house. We should get some supplies and ammo. Hide the rest of our stuff in a closet. These walkers should be gone in about a day or so. Then we can come back...maybe stay here again. Or leave if those people are still around but at least we will still have our gear and weapons." Daryl looked at the house as Tara unsheathed her knife.

"Let's do this so we can get to the girls." Tara said as she ran towards the house with Daryl following close behind. They quickly dispatched the few walkers on their way to the front door. Once inside they gathered the supplies, guns, and bullets they needed before putting everybody's backpacks and gear into the downstairs closet. Before putting Abraham's backpack up, Tara dug around until she found a small bottle of crowne. She would probably be needing a drink after a day like today.

"Ready?" Daryl asked as she put the liquor in her bag. "Yeah let's blow this joint." Tara grabbed her knife, slowly opening the door waiting for any walkers to appear. Seeing no creepers around they both ran for the road, trying not to draw any attention to themselves from the hundreds of walkers mangling around in the field.

Once the two made it to the road, out of the walkers' viewpoint, they slowed down their pace to a fast walk. Tara just wanted to get to Maggie as soon as she could to see for herself that the love of her life was alright. She realized this was what Glenn must of been feeling when he and Maggie had been separated after the prison standoff. Now she undertsood why he had been so adamant to find his wife, not even wanting to stop to rest.

"She'll be alright. Carol will see to it...she loves Maggie like a sister. Plus, Carol is a force to be wrecken' with." Daryl tried to comfort Tara knowing she was worried about her girlfriend.

"Oh, I know Carol is. She could kick my ass and not think twice about it." Tara agreed with a small smile. She felt a little better knowing that Maggie was with Carol, Sasha, and Rosita. At least she wasn't out there alone, and she was sure that all four of them together could face whatever obstacle came their way. That didn't make her any less anxious to be reunited with her girlfriend though.

Daryl let out a chuckle as Tara looked at him. "In fact, when Carol found out about you two she tol' me that if you ever hurt Maggie in any way she would kick your ass."

Tara gulped, "Good thing I don't plan on hurtin' Maggie in any way. Carol scares me when she gets in protective mama bear mode."

"Yeah Carol is the type of woman who can cut your dick in half and make your balls shrink. She will put you in your place and quick." Daryl admired his other best friend, hoping he would be seeing her soon.

They both laughed as they kept up their swift pace on the lonely road while keeping an eye out for walkers and people. After a few hours, the pair finally made it their destination but their friends were no where to be found.

"Maybe there were walkers so they kept on." Daryl said as he looked around trying to find any evidence that might point them towards their family.

"Or whoever lured those walkers to the house took them." Tara stated as she felt her heart break at the sight of no Maggie waiting for her.

"We'll find them. We have to. And if someone took them we'll kill the fuckers." Daryl threatened as he studied the ground looking for any usable tracks. "These tracks are contaminated by walkers. No way to tell who went where. Fuck." He kicked a rock that was nearby watching it sail away.

"Let's keep on then. We have to run into someone sooner or later." Tara suggested as she kept walking on, now more anxious to find out where Maggie was and if she was okay.

Daryl walked by her side as they kept a watchful eye out. Nothing was said as they both tried to keep thoughts of their loved ones in danger out of their minds. As night descended upon them, the friends both couldn't sleep as they stayed up in an abandoned cave they had found. They both drew on each other's strength and hope that they would find their loved ones soon.

* * *

The next two days were a repeat of the first. They searched relentlessly, looked for tracks, looked for any kind of clue to where their people might be but nothing. Tara was beside herself, she couldn't stop thinking about Maggie. She thought about how beautiful Maggie was, their passionate nights together, how much she loved her. Tara also vowed to kill anyone who hurt Maggie in any way.

That night after a day of finding nothing, Daryl made a fire as he tried to get Tara to eat something. "Come on, you gotta eat somethin'. I didn't feel like it either but we have to keep up our strength. You won't be helpin' Maggie any by not eatin'."

Tara finally took the can of fruit at the mention of Maggie. Tara knew she needed to keep up her energy if she wanted to find the love of her life.

"Thanks for looking out for me." Tara turned to Daryl giving him a small smile as she began to eat. "Ain't nothin' much. You do the same for me." Daryl patted her on the back. Suddenly, their bonding time was cut short as they heard twigs breaking in the forest around them, heading their way.

"That ain't no walker." Daryl muttered as he grabbed his crossbow, readying it to fire. Tara pulled out her gun, turning off the safety raising it in the direction of the noises.

"Please don't shoot! I'm unarmed!" A female voice said as a young woman came out from behind the trees, her hands above her head. The woman was probably in her mid to late twenties, and even though she looked like she had been through hell and back she was very beautiful.

"Please don't hurt me. I just escaped from an awful camp filled with horrible people. Are you good people?" She asked in a small voice as tears began to form in her eyes at the mention of her previous prison.

"We won't hurt you if you don't mean to harm us." Daryl said as he lowered his crossbow. Tara lowered her gun slowly, still not sure if she should put it up yet.

The woman looked at them both for a few seconds before she started to cry hard. Daryl and Tara both looked at each other, both unsure and uneasy on what to do with the young girl in front of them.

"Where did you escape from?" Tara finally asked after a few minutes of listening to the woman crying, not sure if she should attempt to comfort her or not. Tara never could resist helping a damsel in distress.

"Somewhere worse than the pits of hell. Somewhere where everything is taken from you and you aren't allowed to say no. My sister is still there. The men are ruthless, and they will rape you every minute of every day if they could. I need to go back for my sister." The young girl explained as she looked desperately at Daryl and Tara.

Tara felt bad for the poor girl. She had obviously been through a lot and the place she escaped from sounded horrible. Tara wanted to help her get her sister but she was trying to find Maggie right now.

"We can't help...I'm sorry. We would if we could but we are trying to find our own people right now. We lost them a couple of days ago." Tara looked at the girl with regret.

"What's your name?" She asked the young woman.

"Nicole. Maybe the place I escaped from took your people. When I left they were bringing in new captives. I saw a glimpse of them and heard some names. Maybe they are yours. They had just brought in a group of four women." Nicole dried the tears from her face as Daryl and Tara looked at each other with alarm in their eyes.

"Did you get names? See what they looked like?" Daryl demanded as he tried to hope that the girls didn't end up in that hell hole.

Nicole looked at them seeing that they were both distraught with the impending news. "One was an older woman. Short grey hair...Caroline or Carol I think." Daryl felt the breath leave his body as his worse fear was confirmed.

"There was a young Mexican girl. I didn't catch her name. A Tasha or Sasha. And finally another young woman...Maggie I think. Ryen took special interest in her from what I heard that night." Nicole hated to be the bearer of bad news to the pair she had just met, but she was glad she had helped find their people even in these dire circumstances.

Tara felt her blood boil at the mention of Maggie's name. These horrible people had her girl right now. She felt the adrenaline run through her body, her muscles contracting. "I'm gonna kill those motherfuckers if they lay a hand on Maggie." She growled as her hands formed fists.

"We're gonna kill them all. There ain't gonna be nothin' left of those fucks when we are done with them." Daryl agreed as he tried to control the anger he was feeling.

"They are safe for now at least." Nicole interrupted as they both turned to looked at her. They had almost forgotten that Nicole was there with them.

"For the first five days, they will be kept in a room with no windows. No water. No food. Just four walls and darkness. Ryen said they do that so the women are less resistant, so they listen and do what they're told. Then the next two days are spent in a metal cage where you get to watch other women get raped and killed in front of you, knowing that it's going to happen to you soon." Nicole explained as Daryl and Tara both paced back and forth trying to control the anger seething within them.

"How long has it been since you escaped?" Tara asked, her eyes were dark and intense catching the blonde off guard. "Ummm...about three days ago. I don't even know how I managed that cuz usually security there is pretty tight." Nicole explained to the friends in front of her.

"I'm Tara by the way and this is Daryl. So we have about three to four days to save them. Can you take us to this camp? I promise you we will get your sister out if you help us." Tara gently put her hand on Nicole's arm, as the other woman nodded in agreement.

"I will. It's probably only a one day trek away if that. I have been in hiding most of this time. Scared that Ryen's men would be after me." Nicole felt tears in her eyes over the ordeal she had experienced.

"Is Ryen the leader? What's his story?" Daryl asked as he sat down in front of the fire. He wanted to leave as soon as possible to save the others but he knew they needed rest before their trip. Tomorrow they would hit the ground running, not stopping for anything.

"Ryen is bloodthirsty, inhumane, and sadistic. No one crosses Ryen and lives to tell about it for long. Ryen is a woman by the way, not a man." Nicole revealed as her listeners turned to her shocked by her revelation.

"A chick?" Daryl asked. Nicole nodded, "Yeah, she is ruthless though. Don't let that fool you. I have seen her kill many men and women. Some children also. She is packing downstairs if you know what I mean, and she takes full advantage of it. I have lost count of how many women she has violated."

Tara felt sick to her stomach knowing that Maggie and the others were in Ryen's company. She couldn't believe that this Ryen justified raping and torturing women on account of having a penis. Tara would be sure to make Ryen pay for all the pain and suffering she had inflicted on others.

"She hurt you?" Tara turned to the blonde. "Yeah she is one of the worst. She was a Marine so she thinks she's tough, and she is. Everyone there is scared of her, no one dares to challenge her leadership."

"Well, I'm going to kill her." Tara promised as Nicole looked at her in amazement. "That is a pretty bold thing to say," the blonde responded as Daryl handed her a can of fruit to eat.

"I have killed people before and I'm not afraid to do it again to save my family. It's the world we live in now." Tara responded as Nicole shivered at the thought.

"And she ain't the only one packin' either." Tara muttered under her breath as Nicole looked at her, not sure if she heard Tara correctly or not. Nicole decided not to comment and continue on with her story.

"The worst one next to Ryen is the Doctor. I don't know his name...just called him the Doctor. One time a girl wouldn't do what he wanted so he cut off her hand and let her bleed out for hours until she finally died. I tried to help her but he threatened to do the same to my sister if I did anything. So I just quit...then he raped me...repeatedly." Nicole sighed sadly as she looked at the fire finding some peace in its tranquility.

Tara glared at the fire, not sure what to say to comfort Nicole. The more she heard about this place, the more she wanted blood. She looked at Daryl, seeing him deep in thought. Tara knew he was thinking the same thing as her. Those fuckers were going to pay.

"We should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow." Daryl announced as he laid down closing his eyes. "Get some rest. I will take the first watch." Tara told him as she got up to patrol around their area. "Kay...get me up in a few hours..." Daryl dozed off into a troubled sleep.

Tara went off to scout the perimeter, looking to make sure no stray walkers or humans were around. Satisfied that they were alright for the time being she sat down on a log a few feet away from Daryl so she wouldn't disturb him. She opened her bag, grabbing the bottle of liquor and taking a few drinks. She was deep in thought when Nicole sat down next to her. They were silent for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." Tara said simply as she took another drink, offering the bottle to Nicole.

Nicole shook her head at the offered liquor. "Liquor is gross. I prefer the fruity girlie drinks to be honest."

Tara laughed at that. "Typical girl," she expressed as she took another drink. Nicole gave her a sad small smile. "Don't worry, we'll get your sister out of that hell hole soon enough." Tara promised as she screwed the cap back on the bottle.

They were silent for a while. "You're bleeding by the way." Nicole told her as Tara looked down to see blood on her shirt where her stitches were.

"I noticed it when I first saw you but I didn't say anything. I don't think you even noticed." Nicole looked on as Tara lifted her shirt just enough to show the bandage. She undid the covering to reveal that a few of her stitches were broken and bleeding.

"Do you have any thread and needle? I can fix it. I used to be a nurse before everything went to hell." Nicole offered as she inspected the wound in the bright moonlight.

"Yeah...hold on." Tara reached into her bag pulling out the thread and needle, handing them to the other woman. "What happened?" Nicole got to work slowly closing the wound again. Tara winced at the pain that radiated from the needle going into her skin.

"I got shot...wasn't a big deal." Tara said nonchalantly as she felt Nicole's soft, warm hands on her skin. Before she knew it she could feel her body reacting to the touch. Tara tried to close her eyes and relax but nothing seemed to work.

"It's okay you know. It's pretty noticeable by now." Nicole let out a small laugh. "This stuff kinda happens all the time when you are a nurse. Guys are embarrassed beyond belief but I have seen quite a few boners giving guys medical care. It's pretty amusing after a while. I kinda had the feeling that you had a penis though. You just give off that confident feeling and I was right. Impressive size by the way." Nicole finished the stitches, putting on a new bandage.

"Sorry about that. Sometimes it has a mind of its own." Tara apologized as she tried to cover up with her backpack.

"It's only natural. Certainly nothing to apologize about." Nicole whispered as she looked into Tara's dark consuming eyes.

Tara tried to turn away from the beautiful woman but found it hard to do with all the blood rushing to her other head. Tara forced herself to turn away, taking a deep breath to calm the situation now.

Before Tara knew what was happening, Nicole reached over guiding her face to Tara's as she leaned in for a long kiss. Tara's body responded to the kiss as Nicole deepened their kiss. Slowly she reached down, unbuckling Tara's belt before reaching in and feeling the pulsing erection hidden in the jeans.

As Tara felt Nicole's touch, her mind snapped out of the haze it was in. "I can't...I can't...I'm sorry." Tara broke the kiss, jumping up to quickly button up her jeans.

"I mean if I had met you two weeks ago I might have been all for non committed sex but I can't now. I have a girlfriend and I can't hurt her like that especially when I don't know if she is even okay. And I love her more than anything...I can't do this." Tara quickly turned away from the girl for a moment before turning to look at her again.

"Plus this is probably just a comfort thing after all the horrible things you have been through but I can't be the one to comfort you." Tara stammered as Nicole looked at her dejectedly.

"Is Maggie your girlfriend?" Nicole asked quietly. Tara nodded, "One day she will be my wife but for now she's my girlfriend."

"I'm sorry I put you in that situation." Nicole apologized as she got up slowly looking deep into Tara's eyes. "I really am though. I'm going to get some sleep...hopefully I will be seeing my sister soon and you will be seeing Maggie." Nicole gave her a small kiss on the cheek as she went to go lay down.

Tara sighed as she sat down on the log again feeling guilty about what had just transpired. Daryl woke up a few hours later, making her get some uneasy rest before their ultimate rescue mission started in just a few short hours.

* * *

Maggie opened her eyes looking around at her unfamiliar surroundings. She wasn't sure how long she had been in this dungeon. Last thing she remembered was running away from the hundreds of walkers that had descended onto their temporary house. She had been with Carol, Sasha, and Rosita when she felt something hit her head hard and blackness take over.

She sat up taking in the darkness around her, letting her eyes adjust to the dimness. She was in room with no windows and a steel door. Maggie looked into the corner, seeing three other bodies slowly waking up. Carol, Rosita, and Sasha were in here with her. That made her feel a little better, she just hoped that Tara was out there somewhere and was not injured.

Maggie reached down, feeling the necklace that Tara had given her just the other day. She wished Tara was here to give her some comfort but this was the next best thing.

"Is everyone okay?" Carol asked the others as they got up to explore their surroundings.

"Yeah but they took all of our weapons. They even took the knife I hid in my boot." Sasha said as she rubbed her head where she had been hit earlier.

"I don't know who these people are but I'm sure they aren't the welcoming crew." Carol told her friends as she walked around the small room looking for anything that could be used as a potential weapon.

Suddenly, they heard a piercing female scream outside the door. They knew whoever was screaming was being hurt or tortured relentlessly. Maggie felt her heart race, reaching up she touched the necklace trying to feel some sense of comfort.

"Daryl and Tara will find us. So will the others. I know Tara though. She won't stop until she finds us." Maggie encouraged her friends as the screams went on and on. Rosita nodded her head in agreement. "I bet they will find us soon."

The screaming continued for another hour or so. Maggie wondered what was happening to that poor woman, and if what was being inflicted on the poor girl was going to happen to her as well. She shivered at the thought, hoping against hope that Tara and the others were on their way to save them before they got hurt.

Finally, the wailing outside stopped after what seemed hours. Maggie sat down against the wall by Rosita. "Tara will come soon. She won't give up until she finds you. She did it once before, she will do it again." Rosita put her arm around Maggie giving her an encouraging hug.

Carol looked Maggie over. "You should get some kind of rest, you look really tired. We all should get some rest in fact. Who knows what's in store for us, we need to be in fighting shape." Carol ordered as she sat down next to Maggie while Sasha sat down next to Rosita.

"These last couple of days I have been feeling pretty fatigued. I just get tired more easily." Maggie told the others as she looked at the steel door wishing that Tara and Daryl would walk through it any moment.

After a few minutes, Maggie rested her head on Carol's shoulder as she tried to fight the sleep that wanted to overtake her. "You should get some rest. You know Daryl and Tara are relentless when they have a goal in mind. They will find us soon." Carol soothed as Maggie felt her eyes close into a restless sleep with thoughts of Tara filling her mind.

* * *

Tara, Daryl, and Nicole walked a brisk pace as they headed to the malicious camp that held their loved ones. Tara was deep in thought about what had happened the night before, feeling guilty about almost losing control with a girl who obviously was traumatized about what had happened to her. Also, every time she thought of Maggie she felt even more regretful. Maggie didn't deserve to be hurt like that, especially with the situation that they had found themselves in.

The group walked in silence as Nicole pointed out directions to Daryl. They spent all day marching on, only taking a break to eat lunch real quick and then continue on their way.

Slowly, the day started to turn into night as they took a short rest knowing they were closer than ever. They could feel the anxiousness and adrenaline course their bodies as they prepared for the upcoming battle.

"We are only a few miles out by now." Nicole told them as she looked around making sure none of Ryen's foot soldiers were around.

Tara reached into her bag pulling out the revolver she had found a few days before. She loaded it and handed it to Nicole. "You're gonna need something to protect yourself just in case."

"I don't really know much about guns." Nicole said as she awkwardly took the gun, clearly nervous to have the weapon in her hands.

"That one's easy. Just take off the safety and shoot. You have six bullets so use them wisely." Tara explained as Nicole's blue eyes looked intently at her.

"Look, I know you are nervous about coming back here but I promise I will do whatever I can to make sure you and your sister come out of this safely." Tara told her as she loaded her own gun. Nicole gave her a small smile of appreciation as she pulled Tara into a hug. "Thank you." Nicole whispered into her ear.

"Let's get these sons of bitches." Daryl walked up to them, crossbow ready for action. They continued on their way heading towards the unknown ready to save their loved ones at any cost.

* * *

The door to the room suddenly burst open catching the occupants within by surprise. Maggie woke up startled as a woman and four burly looking men walked into the small room. The woman was dressed in military fatigues with a black tank top. It was obvious that she was the one calling all the shots in this horror show.

"Hello ladies. My name is Ryen and word is this show's about to finally start." She gave them an malevolent smile as she looked over her captives. "Tie them up and put them in the cage." She ordered as the men quickly did what they were told.

A rugged looking man tied Maggie's hands behind her back, grabbing her roughly as he led her into a large metal cage throwing her in. Maggie sat up as Carol, Sasha, and Rosita were thrown into the cage with her. One of the men locked the door, smiling at them with crooked teeth.

Maggie looked around her outdoor surroundings, eyes widening in surprise as she saw Rick, Michonne, Abraham, Carl, and Eugene tied up by a tent that was opposite of the cage. Maggie was relieved that Tara and Daryl were not among the captives, it meant they were still somewhere out there.

"Well...well...well...this show is about to start." Ryen announced to her desperate captives as she paced back and forth between them.

"Where's Judith?" Maggie asked as she noticed the baby girl was no where to be seen.

"Don't worry sweetheart. The baby is fine. I have one of my slaves lookin' after her. She will be fine for now at least." Ryen snickered as she reached into the cage, running a finger down Maggie's chest pulling her shirt down a little. Maggie flinched under the touch, trying to get out of the other woman's reach.

"My...my what a nice necklace. Too bad I plan on ripping it off of you later." Ryen cracked up as she ran her finger over the diamond pendant.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Carol threatened as she glared at Ryen while trying to break out of the rope that enslaved her hands.

"Don't worry, Maggie, baby. After the show tonight you will be all mine. I have been waiting a long time for you." Ryen stared at Maggie with greed in her eyes. Maggie turned away from Ryen's uneasy stare, feeling violated by just her gaze.

"Word is we will soon be having two more guests to this show. Especially the main guest...you would know her well Maggie. A one Tara Chambler...the one who killed my twin brother a few months back when she was trying to save that chink from eating it." Maggie felt her heart drop at the mention of Tara's name.

"Yeah...you remember that night don't you sweetheart? My brother Brent? I've been waiting patiently for months for my revenge. I've been following your group, painstakingly spying on y'all, finding out your weaknesses. I know you are Tara's main weakness. And I don't blame her...you are beautiful. Probably a good fuck too." Ryen laughed as she gave Maggie another lustful look, ignoring the glares that Rick and Carol sent her.

"And now just waiting for the last two guests to arrive. Three actually when that bitch that escaped is captured also. Although she did lead Daryl and Tara back here so I can't punish her too hard. They should be here very soon. Then this party can really begin." The leader laughed as she went into a tent, reemerging with a baseball bat covered with long, metal spikes.

Ryen waved the bat around in front of the captives. She turned to Rick, "You like? It's just a little something I concocted just for this night."

"You're gonna die tonight." Rick muttered as he glared at the marine. Ryen just laughed as if he had told her the funniest joke.

"That's rich...fuckin' rich. Almost time to test this baby out. In fact, Tara's gonna be the first one I get to try it on. Won't that be fun?" Ryen chuckled as she swung the ominous bat back and forth as Rick gritted his teeth.

Maggie closed her eyes, tears starting to form. She hoped and prayed Tara would be able to get out of this mess somehow even though the odds looked against her.

* * *

Daryl, Tara and Nicole could finally hear voices in the distance, seeing the smoke from a fire fill the night sky. They had finally found Ryen's camp after a whole day of wandering the woods.

"Let's split up and survey the area. See how many of them there are and what they're workin' with. Make sure not to be seen or heard." Daryl whispered as he took off to inspect the situation of the enemy camp.

"Stay behind me." Tara ordered Nicole as she crouched down by a tree, slowly inching her way to a clearing of tents. She observed the scene in front of her, feeling sick to her stomach as she saw Rick's group tied up by a tent. Looking over, she saw the women in the cage, her heart beating fast as she finally saw Maggie after all this time.

The sickness and anxiousness in her body was quickly replaced with hate as she detected Ryen pacing between both sets of captives waving a baseball around. Tara raised her gun to shoot the atrocious woman in front of her and end this once and for all.

Just as she was about to pull the trigger she felt something against her head. Tara felt her heart drop as she heard the sound of a gun being cocked. "Drop it. Or we will kill the girl." She heard a rough voice order her.

Tara listened as she slowly lowered her weapon, turning to see two men. One of them had a gun to Nicole's head, his finger stroking the trigger waiting for Tara to make any sudden movements.

"Look don't hurt her. My gun is down." Tara glared at the men as they roughly grabbed her, tying her hands up in heavy rope. She watched as they did the same with Nicole, ready to give the bastards a piece of her mind if they were too rough with the blonde.

"Hey Joe! Did you get that redneck archer?" One of them called out into the darkness. "Sure did, Randy! I thought he was going to be a challenge. But when I threatened to kill his dyke friend he turned into a pussy...they always do. Probably a faggot." Joe emerged from the trees with Daryl in hand. Daryl shot daggers of hatred at Joe as Tara observed that he also was tied up.

"Let's get these fuckers to Ryen. She has been dyin' to meet y'all. Well...Nicole so nice of you to come back. I have really missed that pussy of yours." Randy cackled as he grabbed Nicole roughly as he led her to the camp.

Tara glared at the men as they led her group into the clearing. "Hey Ryen! Looky what we brought for ya!" Joe announced as all heads turned into their direction. Rick felt his heart rate quicken as he saw Tara and Daryl enter into the camp knowing that blood would be shed this night.

Maggie felt the tears that had threatened to fall earlier burst as she saw Tara being led to Ryen. She knew what the evil woman had in store for her girlfriend, she wasn't sure if she could handle watching this horror show. Carol and Rosita scooted closer to her as they tried to comfort her the best they could.

Tara saw Ryen standing directly in front of her. The woman was older by about five years, had short brown hair, and oozed egomaniac personality. Tara saw she had one advantage as she was about two inches taller than the dictator. Tara buffed up to her full height, making sure to flex all her muscles to show Ryen she wasn't afraid of her.

"Well we finally meet, Tara. I have been waiting a long time to meet the person who killed my twin brother. Remember Brent? You beat him to death with a baseball bat? Yeah and you killed Thomas also. All we wanted was a couple of your women. Although I don't know why Thomas grabbed the chink...sometimes he had weird fetishes. But I'm glad he killed Glenn after the damage your group did to mine that night." Ryen stated as Tara remained silent, her glare narrowing at the marine when she mentioned Glenn.

"You remember. You were trying to save your chink friend. Yeah but you forgot to kill the lookout who was hidden in the bushes...lucky for me he was able to report to me everything that happened. So I spent the next few months following your group. You see...I'm a predator. And predators take their time with revenge." Ryen smirked at Tara as she grabbed Nicole and threw her to one of her men.

"Put that bitch in the cage. Put the archer with the others by the tent. Right now I just need Tara." Her soldiers quickly followed the orders Ryen barked at them so her anger would stay fixated on Tara.

Tara remained silent, her gaze never dropping from Ryen's. She was clearly challenging the marine to do her worst. Ryen didn't take lightly to challenges to her authority, she would be sure to make Tara pay for that.

"Then we followed you to that house. I sent out a group of men to ambush you on a supply run. I told them if they got caught to act like they were starving and just wanted supplies so they wouldn't reveal their true mission. I was delighted when I heard you got shot. I thought you would die and that would be the end of it. Then I could ambush the house and take some of your bitches." Ryen turned to look at the women in the metal cage as she swung the bat in her hand back and forth slowly.

"But no...you had to survive. So we spied on your group. I found out that you had a soft spot for Maggie so I figured the best way to get to you would be to capture her. And damn did that work! We lured all those walkers to your land which was easy to do when you have fresh meat for them." The marine cackled as she remembered that day as if it was the best in her life.

"Fuck...I even let one of my women escape hoping that she would run into you and lead you back here with her sob story. And hot damn did that work. It couldn't have gone better than if God had planned it himself. Besides, if Nicole didn't lead you back I would of just found her and killed her myself." Tara kept glaring at Ryen feeling the adrenaline course through her body as she listened to the marine's story.

"And now you're here. Be prepared to pay for what you did to my twin. You see my nice baseball bat? It's the same one that was used to kill Brent and Glenn, except I made some adjustments just for you. And now your blood will be on it also. See that blood? It's Glenn's and Brent's. How fitting huh?" Tara looked at the bat covered with long metal spikes, she remained emotionless much to Ryen's dismay.

Tara knew that people like Ryen thrived on the fear and anger they caused others. She wasn't going to give the marine the satisfaction of showing her true emotions. Tara could feel the rage build up within her.

"Not scared huh? Well that's fine. You will be soon. After I'm done with you, I'm going to kill your group also. Although I'm going to keep Maggie around of course. Don't worry tho, I will take good care of her. I'll fuck her real good." Ryen laughed in satisfaction as she finally got the reaction from Tara that she was waiting for.

Tara charged at her only to be pulled back by one of Ryen's men. He forced her to kneel as he kept a gun locked on her. "You touch her I will kill you." Tara threatened as she tried to control the anger running through her.

"Very funny considering that you are going to be dead soon. You know I might keep the spic around also. She's feisty...I like that." Rosita glared at Ryen as the marine turned to give her a crooked smile.

"And don't worry I will take care of Nicole also. You know I might keep Carl around also. Some of the guys like teenage boys. And Judith...well we will take care of her until she becomes of age which is whenever the men start to want her." Rick tried to get up at the mention of his children but was brought down by a blow to the head by one of the soldiers.

"Hey lay off of him! It's me you really want." Tara yelled at Ryen trying to get the attention off of Rick.

"Come at me you sick motherfucker!" Tara challenged as Ryen turned to face her. The marine didn't like this challenge to her authority. She decided to show Tara just what she could do. She turned swiftly kicking Tara in the stomach hard with her steel toed boots.

Maggie watched in horror as Tara went down for a few seconds. Tara coughed a few times, wincing in pain. Slowly, she picked herself back up until she was kneeling again, maintaining eye contact with Ryen as she stared angrily at her enemy.

"You just don't quit, don't you? You know Tara, we are a lot alike. We don't give up so easily. Before the apocalypse we were both players...just doing whatever we could to get off. Women were impressed with my military experience like they were with your police action. Then they would be even more impressed when they found out what we were packin' downstairs if you know what I mean. Only thing is you care too much. You could of been a great asset to my team. We could of ruled together this new world." Ryen swung the bat back and forth, the metal spikes shining in the full moonlight.

"We aren't nothing alike you piece of shit. I would never force myself on someone like you do. I'm not a rapist." Tara spat at Ryen as the other woman simply laughed.

"You're missing out. Especially with what I'm gonna do to your girl later." Ryen walked to the cage, reaching in to touch Maggie.

"Touch her and you die, you sorry motherfucker." Tara rose up to charge at the marine again only to be brought down by her soldier.

Tara knew she needed to do something to get out of this mess. She looked around the camp seeing if there was any opportunity to turn this situation around into her favor. Tara looked over at Michonne, realizing the other woman was slowly working to free her hands from their restraints.

Michonne's sword was just a few feet away with their stolen weapons. If she could get free, she could grab her sword and untie the others. They could then grab their weapons and then this would really be a fair fight. Tara knew she needed to stall Ryen so Michonne had enough time to get free. Her and Michonne's dark eyes met for a second. She winked at Michonne to let her know she knew what she was up to. Michonne nodded her head back in understanding.

"Hey numb nuts!" Tara called to Ryen trying to turn her attention away from Maggie and onto her again.

"Fight me." Tara challenged as Ryen looked at her in surprise. "What?!" The marine asked clearly not expecting Tara to be so defiant.

"Fight me...unless you're a pussy and don't want to take the challenge." Tara's family looked at her like she was crazy to keep egging Ryen on.

"Why should I fight you? You won't win no matter what. It's a lose-lose situation for you." Ryen stood in front of Tara, not paying attention to Michonne who was still trying to ease up her restraints. In fact, everyone at the camp was looking at Ryen and Tara, clearly interested in how this would end.

"Yeah fight me. At least let me die with some dignity instead of you just pelting me to death. Unless you're a little bitch then you can take the easy way out and just hit me with your little bat. But then what would your soldiers think? They would remember that you backed away from a challenge and who's to say they won't become defiant one day and try to take over." Tara clearly struck a nerve as Ryen felt the wrath enraging within her. Tara knew she had pissed Ryen off majorly, this was going exactly as planned.

"Fine...you want to fight? Then we will make this interesting. Fight to the death." Ryen announced to the camp as she roughly grabbed Tara to untie her. Tara stood up feeling her ribs ache from where she got kicked earlier.

Tara looked at Michonne seeing that she still needed a few minutes until she was fully free. She just needed to keep Ryen at bay until then.

"Here." Ryen yelled as she threw a knife to Tara who caught it with ease.

"Let's get this party started." Tara stated as she shrugged her shoulders to get ready for the fight of her life. She turned to look at Maggie one last time. "I love you, Maggie." She told the love of her life before she faced her enemy. Maggie felt the tears running down her face as she watched her girlfriend ready her knife for the brawl.

Maggie watched in panic as Ryen charged at Tara. Tara easily sidestepped her causing the marine to fall down. Tara laughed as Ryen struggled to get up, "Come on...what the hell was that? I thought you were a marine! My dad taught me better moves than that shit." Tara spat at Ryen as the enraged woman jumped up, charging her again.

They both went down as Ryen jumped onto Tara trying to stab her in the arm with her knife. Tara kicked her in the stomach which sent Ryen flying off of her. Tara tackled her, punching her a few times drawing blood. The marine yelled as she ran into Tara again which caused her knife to go flying out of her hand. Ryen sensing she finally had the upper hand punched Tara in the face making her lip bust. Ryen grabbed her knife holding the point to Tara's neck ready to drive it in. "Told you that you would die..." Ryen snarled as she prepared to stab Tara.

Tara reached behind her trying to find anything to use as a weapon. She grabbed a rock, forcing it as hard as she could into Ryen's eye. Ryen not expecting such a show of force, screamed as she grabbed her eye. Tara pushed her off, quickly grabbing the discarded spiked bat.

"Guess it's your blood that will be on this bat you fucker." Tara yelled as she brought the bat down onto Ryen's body. Ryen cried for mercy as Tara delivered pelt after pelt as she lost control of her anger.

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind. Tara relaxed when she realized it was Daryl who was trying to drag her away from Ryen's lifeless body. "She's dead...let's get the girls out of that fuckin' cage." Daryl shoved a semi automatic into her hand.

Tara looked around coming out of her hate induced haze. She saw her people had their weapons and they were fighting relentlessly against Ryen's soldiers. Michonne must of gotten free after all. "Come on...let's go." Daryl grabbed her arm as she followed him to the metal cage.

"Stand back!" He shouted at the women as he shot at the lock, opening the door. Daryl jumped in, quickly untying the prisoners with his knife. As Sasha and Carol jumped out of the cage, Daryl handed them semi automatics. "Shoot these fuckers. Leave none alive."

As Maggie and Rosita jumped out, they were handed hand guns. Tara grabbed Maggie, pulling her into a fierce hug almost not believing that the woman she loved was in her arms again. Nicole jumped out and ran into the direction where her sister was being held.

Tara pulled Maggie into a deep kiss. "Stay behind me and cover me. If you see any of these guys shoot to kill." Tara told her as she grabbed Maggie's hand, leading her towards the other side of the camp. They both raised their guns as they looked for any potential targets.

Tara spotted two men ahead, expertly shooting them both in the head. She heard the sound of gunfire behind her as she turned just in time to see Maggie shoot a man down. They kept on going until suddenly all the gun fire stopped. Tara guessed that Rick and the others must have already killed the rest of the soldiers.

Tara and Maggie joined their friends, seeing that there were two men kneeling in front of them. "They surrendered." Rick told Tara as she glared at the two despicable men in front of her.

"Please don't hurt us." One of the men cried as tears ran down his dirty face. Tara became livid at the sight of the man having the audacity to beg for mercy. She grabbed him roughly, punching him in the face repeatedly. Daryl stepped up to stop her, but Rick held his hand out to cut him off. Rick knew Tara needed to get all this anger out of her system, he had been in her place before.

"You think you get to beg? How many women did you rape? How many did you hurt, you sick fuck." Tara yelled as she kicked him repeatedly in the stomach. "How many times did you rape Nicole, you bastard?"

The man just cried as he begged Tara for mercy. "Shut the fuck up." Tara said as she brought her gun to his head, blowing his brains out.

Tara then turned to the other man pointing the gun at his head. "What about you? How many women did you rape?" She asked as she hit him on the head with her gun.

"I don't know. I just wanted to survive. I had a wife and two daughters but they died. I just wanted to survive...I used to be a doctor. I used to help people." The man, with grey hair cried, as tears ran down his face.

"A doctor? Are you the Doctor?" Tara demanded as she remembered Nicole's story of how ruthless this bastard was.

The man hung his head in shame. "Yes they know me as the Doctor."

"Nicole told me what you did to her and that girl, you sick fuck. What if this was happening to your wife and daughters? What would you do to the bastard that made them suffer?" Tara asked the Doctor as his tears continued to fall.

"I would let him go and forgive him." He pleaded as Tara shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

"Bullshit. If that happened to my wife and kids I would make the prick suffer." Tara told the man as she shot him directly in the crotch. He screamed in horror as the immense pain overtook him. After a few seconds of suffering, she finally silenced him with a bullet to the brain.

The others looked at Tara in shock. She was covered in blood from Ryen and the men she had just executed. The group had never seen her so angry and destructive, they were unsure of how to react to her. Tara looked at her family for a few seconds before walking away, trying to calm down but the hatred was still racing through her body. Tara leaned against a tree, taking a deep breath as she tried to reached some kind of tranquility.

Maggie followed her, wanting to give her girlfriend some comfort but before she could reach her a blonde woman was heading Tara's way. Maggie figured she must of been the Nicole girl who led Tara and Daryl to the camp. She kept her distance as Nicole walked up to Tara.

"My sister is safe. Thank you so much, Tara." Nicole said as she pulled the taller girl into a hug. "What are you going to do now?" Tara asked as Nicole laid her head on her shoulder.

"I'm gonna stay with the women from here. They are my friends after all. We have plenty of supplies and guns. We will be fine, probably going to head up north." Nicole explained as she pulled Tara closer to her.

"You and your sister could come with our group if you want." Tara offered as she felt Nicole shake her head against her. "No, because against my better judgment I fell for you these past couple of days but I know you love Maggie. I don't think I can be around you now." Nicole placed a soft kiss on Tara's neck, catching the other woman by surprise.

"I should get going...my group is waiting. Thank you so much again. I will never forget you, Tara Chambler." Nicole placed a lingering kiss on Tara's cheek as she pulled away, walking towards her friends as they set off.

Rosita had joined Maggie during the private moment, witnessing the interaction between Nicole and Tara. She turned to look at Maggie and could see the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Hey Maggie...I'm sure it's nothing. Tara just helped her out in a big way. You know Tara wouldn't hurt you that way. Come on, let's get ready to get out of this hellhole. Leave her alone for a few minutes." Rosita led a distraught Maggie away towards their group.

Tara paced around the camp still feeling the fury and adrenaline coursing through her muscles. Rick came up to her placing a steady hand on her shoulder.

"You just went through a bunch of stuff right now. I know how you feel. You've reached your breaking point. Hell, I've been there a couple of times. You need some alone time to get that anger out before you direct it towards someone who doesn't deserve it." Tara looked at Rick and nodded her head in agreement, he was someone she would always listen to.

"We're going to make camp for the night a couple of miles away. There is a creek where you can wash up, be alone. Tomorrow, if you feel up to it you and Daryl are gonna check on the house and see if it's safe for us to go back. I figure we can stay there for a couple of weeks. We need the rest especially after this shit. Then we can continue onto Washington." Rick told her of his plan as he watched her intently

"Sounds good boss," Tara acknowledged as they walked to join the rest of their family. Tara was glad to see that Judith was safe in Carl's arms as he carried her close. She didn't know how she would react if the baby had been hurt in this mess.

The group walked the few miles to their campsite in silence with everyone in their own thoughts. As they reached their destination, Daryl and Rick went about making a small fire while everyone settled down to sleep.

Tara went down to the serene creek to clean the blood off of her face and arms. She took off her plaid shirt that was full of dried blood, deciding that the shirt was probably a lost cause. She then inspected her tank top underneath, satisfied that it wasn't totally ruined.

Tara could feel her muscles tremble as her body was still in full adrenaline mode. She wasn't sure how she was going to release all the pent up rage she was feeling in a constructive way. Too bad there weren't any walkers around, she felt like she could take on fifty by herself.

Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her as she turned to see Maggie looking at her with sad eyes. Maggie looked so beautiful in the full moonlight; she couldn't help herself as she marched up to the other woman pulling her into a passionate kiss as all the emotions she felt tumbled out.

"You shouldn't be here. I'm unpredictable right now. I could hurt you if I'm not careful." Tara tried to step away from Maggie but felt herself being pulled closer instead.

"Let me help you. Take out all that frustration and anger out on me." Maggie reached down to grab her crotch. Tara could feel herself react immediately to Maggie's touch as she grew rock hard.

"I could hurt you right now. I don't trust myself." Tara pleaded with Maggie as she felt her girlfriend's hot breath against her neck, nibbling on the sensitive spot making Tara melt.

"I need you Tara...it's been so long since you've been in me. I need to feel you." Maggie begged as she rubbed herself against Tara's growing erection.

That was all it took for Tara to take control of the situation. She roughly pushed Maggie against the tree behind them, letting her hands wander all over until she dipped down into the other woman's jeans feeling how dripping wet she was.

Tara quickly pushed Maggie's jeans out of the way, feeling frustrated as she unbuckled her belt feeling precious seconds tick away as she freed her solid hard cock from its restraints.

Tara roughly grabbed Maggie by her hips, lifting until long legs wrapped around her waist. Nails dug into her shoulders as she roughly dropped Maggie onto her pulsing hard cock. Maggie's head tossed back, nails breaking through skin and quieted screams escaping her mouth as Tara filled her.

Tara spaced her feet and shifted until she had a firm grip on Maggie's hips, holding her up. Maggie brought her head back forward and bounced in Tara's grip, effectively starting up a rhythm. Tara felt intense pleasure as Maggie's walls clenched around her and pulled her in, milking her for everything she was worth.

Her calves burned as she thrust up, pounding into Maggie and smirking at each delicious groan, gasp, and cry that left Maggie's lips. "Fuck Tara!" Maggie whimpered as she brought their foreheads together, their sweat causing them to slide against each other. Tara slowed her thrusts down, feeling her orgasm build up with impending need. Tara drove up with force even deeper into Maggie, stopped for a second, and then thrust hard into her again.

Maggie felt Tara hammer her cervix over and over again. The pain she felt mingled in with the pleasure was an amazing feeling. She knew she would be sore in the morning but feeling Tara's huge cock with each stroke invade her body was a feeling she would never tire of. She knew she needed to be the release that Tara needed.

"Oh Tara...fuck..."Maggie gasped out with each thrust, their breaths mingling together. The nails in Tara's shoulders dug deeper as Maggie held on. She squeezed Maggie's hips roughly as she picked up speed slightly, still pounding up into her with force.

Tara had already lost control of herself as she impaled Maggie repeatedly with long strokes. She couldn't help it. Being inside of Maggie made her higher than any drug she had ever experimented with. There was no denying the animal that came alive when she was deep inside of Maggie.

"Oh god," Maggie's jaw dropped, thighs clenching and walls pulsing against Tara's member. "Oh Tara..." Maggie's orgasm ripped through her and it triggered Tara's, despite her trying to fight it off.

"Fuck Maggie..." Tara held Maggie close as her hips jerked against her control as she shot stream after stream of hot cum up into her lover. She felt all the anger, frustration, and adrenaline leave her body at once as she filled Maggie up with her seed. Tara's abs were clenched, her arms sore but her orgasm didn't slow even as it spilled out from between them. She never came as long or as hard as she did during that moment.

Maggie trembled in her arms and she could feel the swell between them as their fluids dripped down from where they were still joined. Tara stumbled back a few steps until she was leaning against another tree in support. She refused to set Maggie down, not because she wanted to keep from making a mess but from feeling that deep connection to the woman she loved.

Tara pulled back a little looking into Maggie's beautiful green eyes. "Did I hurt you?" She asked as she leaned in for a passionate kiss. Maggie could see that her sweet, loving Tara was back to normal. No more built up anger or frustration.

"Yes, but it was worth it." Maggie sighed as she rested her head on Tara's shoulder. "You know I love you more than anything." Tara whispered as she held Maggie close never wanting to let go. "I love you too." Maggie breathed into her neck.

Tara slowly pulled out of Maggie as her girlfriend whimpered at the loss within her. "Get dressed babe." Tara told her as she pulled up her jeans after adjusting herself.

Maggie got dressed, her thoughts wondering how she would ask Tara the one thing that had been on her mind for the last few hours. Tara gave her a cute goofy smile. "Well...sex with a hot chick really does bring out the best in me." Tara joked but stopped as soon as she saw Maggie's face.

"Are you okay baby? Did I hurt you too much?" Tara asked with concern as Maggie felt tears build up in her eyes.

"Did something happen between you and that Nicole girl? She seemed very close to you...a little too close for my liking." Maggie asked as she felt some tears leave her eyes at the thought of Tara with someone else.

"I was going to tell you. She kissed me. I kissed back for a second but I stopped it when she tried to grab my dick. My head was in a haze but that's no excuse. I'm so sorry, baby." Maggie started to cry at that admission as she turned away from Tara.

Tara felt horrible for being the reason Maggie was crying. She made a silent promise to herself to never be the reason Maggie was crying ever again. It broke her heart to see how hurt Maggie was. She pulled her girlfriend into a hug not sure if it would be welcomed.

"I swear it didn't go past that. You know I wouldn't hurt you like that. You are my everything, Maggie. And I'm really sorry this happened. I wasn't expecting her to kiss me, and it caught me off guard. I promise I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you if you will let me." Tara apologized as she held Maggie close, hoping she didn't just screw up the best relationship she ever had.

Maggie looked at her for a few seconds, seeing the regret that filled Tara's intense eyes, before leaning in to kiss her. "I forgive you...as long as you weren't the one who started it and you didn't have sex with her." Maggie sniffed as she rested her head on Tara's shoulder, feeling some solace in her arms.

"I swear I didn't. You're the only one I want to have that connection with. I promise." Tara gave her a small kiss on the head as her arms tightened around Maggie's waist, never wanting to let go.

The couple stayed that way for a few minutes until Tara decided they should join the rest of their friends and get some kind of sleep. Tara relished the feeling of having Maggie in her arms that night as she fell into an easy sleep for the first time in days.

* * *

Authors note: Wow ...that was a long chapter! It just got away from me. I'm so sorry guys. I was going to break it up into two chapters but I figured y'all wouldn't want to wait a week for the next installment. I don't know if there will be another chapter this long…kinda depends on what my muse wants. So finally this scene is out of my head and now I can write some more fluffy moments between Maggie/Tara that y'all seem to enjoy. But with a show like TWD you need to have some action/drama every once in a while. Until next time! Also thanks for all the reviews! Hope you enjoyed.


	7. Landslide

Chapter 7

Tara was woken up a short time later by Daryl gently shaking her shoulder signaling it was time for them to head out to their abandoned house. The sky still had a black tint to it as dawn stars were still shining behind a few clouds.

"The sun's not even up yet." She complained as she sat up slightly making sure not to disturb Maggie who was sleeping soundly on her.

"You're tellin' me. Rick wants us to make sure the house is safe to go back to. It will take us a few hours to get there an' back. Then everyone else can get back before sundown. So let's get to it." Daryl turned to get his gear ready as Tara gently extracted herself from Maggie's sleeping form.

Tara turned to her girlfriend, smiling as she watched her sleep for a couple of minutes. Maggie must have been really tired to not have been disturbed by her getting up so early. She must of been worn out from the passionate night they had shared just a few hours ago. Tara knew her body was still worn out from everything that had happened the day before...the traveling, the fight, the sex.

Tara reached into her bag pulling out her hoodie and gently covered Maggie with it. The mornings were cooler than before and she knew Maggie had a tendency to get cold so hopefully her hoodie could provide some warmth until she got back. She then pulled out a blue plaid shirt slipping it over her tank top, not even bothering to button it.

Tara gently placed a soft kiss on her girlfriend's cheek before pulling herself away, heading in Daryl's direction. Rick was standing with Daryl, his eyes worn and tired looking. These past few days had taken a toll on all of them.

"You two be careful. If you see anyone suspicious don't hesitate to kill them. It's us against the world now. Trust no one." Rick lectured them like a parent giving his children the stranger danger talk.

"Sure thing, dad." Tara joked as she made sure her gun was fully loaded and ready to fire.

"Good to see that you're back to your old self." Rick genuinely smiled at her. He knew she wasn't one hundred percent but she was doing a lot better than last night when it seemed like one bad look would set her off.

"Well, let's just say that I released some pent up tension last night." Tara laughed as the men just shook their heads at her inappropriate joke.

"Yeah...I didn't need to know that. Hope you had a good time though." Rick snickered quietly so he wouldn't disturb the sleeping forms on the ground.

Tara turned to Maggie watching her sleep peacefully, feeling her protective side kick in. She hated to be leaving her again so soon but she had an important job to do. Rick noticed Tara looking at her girlfriend and knew she was feeling anxious about setting out.

"Don't worry, she will be safe when you get back. I know you're feeling overprotective and I don't blame you but she'll be okay here." Rick placed his hand on her shoulder trying to give her some peace of mind.

"I know she will be. It's just hard to leave again so soon. But I guess the sooner we leave, the sooner we're back." Tara forced herself to turn away from Maggie before she could change her mind about going with Daryl.

"Now be careful out there. Don't make me send Carol after y'all." Rick tried to lighten the mood again as Tara and Daryl both gulped at that thought.

"Yeah I don't want to get my ass kicked by Carol so we'll be careful and not take any unnecessary risks." Tara promised as she and Daryl started on their way, leaving Rick chuckling to himself.

* * *

The friends starting walking down the lonely road, Daryl studying the map that Rick had handed him before they had set off. Tara surveyed her surroundings looking for any stray walkers rummaging around. The only sound to be heard was the pavement underneath their boots as they walked in long strides, trying not to focus on how dead tired they were. They had a goal in hand, to make sure that their family had a safe place to stay. The pair were both determined to make sure they fulfilled that goal no matter how worn out they were.

Daryl showed her the map, "Looks like the house is bout' fifteen miles away. Should definitely be there in a few hours or so."

Tara nodded in acknowledgment as she lazily held her semi-automatic rifle at her side. Not a word was said between the friends as they walked a few miles down the road both lost in their own thoughts.

Suddenly, Daryl stopped walking as he turned away from Tara for a few seconds. One hand on his hip as his other held his treasured crossbow idle by his side.

"You ok, man?" Tara asked with concern as she stopped her pace, wondering what was wrong with the usually stalwart man.

She heard him sniff a couple of times and her worry grew tenfold. Daryl was like her, not really showing what emotions he was feeling to other people. Daryl was the kind of man to keep things to himself so to hear him holding back a few tears, Tara knew something must be really wrong.

Tara placed her hand on his shoulder trying to give him whatever support he needed. Daryl was silent for a few minutes until he finally spoke, his voice a little shaky.

"I could of lost you last night. Could of lost Carol, Rick...everybody. It hit me last night that I was literally minutes from watching you get beat to death with that fuckin' bat. I don't know what I would of done..." Daryl composed himself a bit before he continued.

"I have already lost so much since the turn. I lost my brother, Sophia, Herschel, Beth. I don't think I could take losing one of my best friends." The rugged man admitted as he wiped a few stray tears from his eyes.

Tara tried to keep the couple of stray tears that were threatening to come out at bay as she gave Daryl a fierce hug. "You should know that it would take a lot more than a marine on a power trip to keep me down. But you're my best friend too, Daryl. You're my brother. I will always have your back and I know you have mine."

The pair pulled away from the hug looking at each other for a few seconds before turning away, both embarrassed by the show of emotions.

"Yeah I think I have something in my eye," Tara claimed as she turned to compose herself.

"Yeah...I think I have allergies or somethin'," Daryl laughed as he wiped away the last few stray tears from his face.

"Alright...enough of the sappy stuff. Let's get back to the task on hand so everybody can be safe tonight." Tara grinned as she continued walking on the empty road with Daryl by her side.

"Seriously though, if anything does ever happen to me make sure you and Carol take care of Maggie. Especially since I seem to have a knack at finding myself in life or death situations. But be sure the next person she's with treats her right and kill them if they don't." Tara definitely had no plans on leaving Maggie anytime soon but having some reassurance from Daryl would make her feel better just in case.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of her. And if anyone hurts her they're as good as dead." Daryl promised as he held out his hand for a fist bump which Tara gladly gave him.

"So did anything happen between you and that Nicole chick?" Daryl asked as he kicked a rock that was on the road.

"She kissed me but I stopped her before it went to far. That was it, really." Tara admitted as she kept her eyes on the pavement in front of them.

"Yeah...I figured she had somethin' for you. I'm just glad I don't gotta kick your ass for cheatin'." Daryl laughed as Tara glared at him.

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side." She mocked a hurt tone as Daryl laughed harder.

"Not when it comes to somethin' like that. Especially on a good girl like Maggie." Daryl explained as Tara wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"Awww...you're such a big softie at heart." Tara snickered at her own joke as Daryl rolled his eyes at her. They both started cracking up at each other until finally their laugher died down.

"So is there anything going on between you and Carol?" Tara asked as Daryl turned to her shocked by her question.

"No, we're just good friends." He said as he pulled out a pack of menthols and offered her one.

"Really? I mean I could of sworn you felt something for her. Especially after that hug y'all shared after the whole escaping Terminus thing." Tara took the cigarette using her lighter to light it up.

"Nah...nothing like that. Fuckin' Terminus. We should have listened to Rick and gone back to kill all of them." Daryl quickly changed the subject but Tara decided not to bust his balls about it.

"I know I wanted to go back also but Sasha had just lost Bob there and she was distraught. Everyone else just wanted to get as far away as possible." Tara reflected on that fateful day they had escaped from the crazed cannibals.

"Yeah and now they're probably still out there somewhere. Knowin' our luck we will run into those bastards." Daryl inhaled smoke from his cigarette, expertly puffing out the smoke.

"Well, if we do I'm sure we can take them. I mean we just killed about thirty sadistic rapists, I'm pretty sure we can take on a few cannibals. Or we might be lucky and they all died that day." Tara finished her smoke, dropping it on the road and putting it out with her boot.

"Hope we get that lucky. Doubt it though." Daryl said as he flicked his cigarette out onto the road ahead of them.

The sun was finally making its appearance as they walked a few more miles, both of them in a better mood. They didn't say much as they enjoyed the comfortable silence between them.

"Whatever happened to that damn yo-yo you were always playin' with?" Daryl randomly asked as the thought crossed his mind. He had not seen the toy in a few months which wasn't normal because Tara always had it out any chance she had.

Tara smiled as she remembered that yo-yo. She had found it in a random backpack when she, Glenn, and Rosita had gone on a water run when they had been on their way to Washington DC. Of course that plan didn't exactly pan out but she enjoyed the time she had spent with team GREATM, even if Abraham had been a jerk for most of it.

"You were annoying with that thing. Always showing people tricks you could do." Daryl laughed as he remembered when she had showed him a few tricks. "I haven't seen it in a few months and just thought of it for some damn reason," he continued as he looked around for any walkers.

"I can't help it if I'm the yo-yo master. But yeah I buried it with Glenn. That yo-yo was part of our bonding time. When we were on night watches together, I would try to show him how to do some tricks." Tara grinned when she remembered how horrible Glenn had been with the yo-yo but he was always determined to get better.

"We used to always annoy Maggie with it. She threatened to throw it into the woods quite a few times but it always entertained us on those long walks. It seemed fitting to leave it with Glenn. Those were some of my favorite memories of him." Tara sighed as thoughts of her dead best friend filled her mind. Although she loved Daryl to death, no one could ever take Glenn's place in her heart.

"I miss him too." Daryl said simply as they walked on both of them thinking about their lost comrade.

Tara thought about all the fun times she had had with Glenn before their friendship was cut painfully short. They were inseparable from the very beginning since they both shared the same kind of humor, finding things funny that most in the group wouldn't. In fact, they had been so inseparable that Maggie had joked a few times that she might as well be married to both of them.

Although she had yet to tell anyone, her mind drifted to the night Glenn had made her promise the one promise she would die to keep...

* * *

_Darkness had just settled onto the Georgia spring night as the group got ready for the night's restless sleep. Beth and Tyreese's recent deaths were still fresh on their minds as the makeshift family tried to move on from the tragedies. Maggie was still very distraught over her sister's death as she kept mostly to herself only really talking to Glenn and Tara whenever she needed to._

_That cool night Maggie slept on the ground by herself covering up with the hoodie Tara had lent her. Meanwhile, both Glenn and Tara were up on night watch as they both sat on a log a few feet away from the group's sleeping area and fire._

_The best friends spirits' were down as they had gone on a supply run that day and had not found anything useful in these dire survival circumstances. The food and water supply were running dangerously low, and not finding anything made them both feel like failures._

_Tara stared at Maggie for a few minutes, admiring how cute she looked all covered up with her hoodie. As soon as those thoughts filled her head she pushed them away as fast as she could, feeling guilty about being secretly in love with her best friend's wife. Tara hated being part of a cliche such as that and the other sad lesbian cliche of being in love with a straight girl, but her heart knew what it wanted. Sadly, it was something she would never have._

_Tara sighed sadly as she turned away to look into the dark woods, anything to get her mind off of the beauty sleeping across from her._

_"You ok?" Glenn asked with concern in his eyes which made her feel even more guilty._

_"Yeah I'm fine...just tired I guess." Tara lied as she looked down at the ground still trying to get Maggie out of her mind. She had become used to the torture of unrequited love for the past few months but tonight it was just front and center in her head for some reason._

_Tara almost wished that she only lusted for Maggie, like she had for Rosita, then she would be easier to get over but Tara had never felt this way about any girl before. Tara actually enjoyed talking to Maggie and learning more about her everyday. She looked forward to when she would see the beautiful woman, feeling a stray touch from Maggie would send electricity throughout her body. Unfortunately, she had it bad._

_Hell, she had even slept with Rosita a few times to quell the longing she felt for Maggie but that hadn't worked. She did have to admit that she did enjoy her encounters with Rosita though._

_Glenn stared at his best friend for a few seconds knowing that she wasn't fine at all._

_He had an inkling of what was wrong with Tara. He noticed the longing looks Tara would give Maggie when she thought no one was looking._

_Not that Glenn had anything to worry about. He knew Tara was loyal to their friendship and would never do anything to compromise it. In fact, out of everyone in the group he felt Maggie was safest with Tara when he wasn't around. So he decided now was the time to make her promise something he needed to hear for his own reassurance._

_"I'm gonna ask you something and don't try to lie to me. And remember no matter what the answer is I'm not mad." Glenn looked at Tara's confused face as he asked what he needed to know._

_"Do you have feelings for Maggie?" Tara tried to think of a good lie but looking at Glenn's face she knew he knew the truth._

_"Yes." She said simply as she looked at the object of her affection who was still sleeping soundly._

_Glenn was silent for a moment which Tara took as a bad sign. She never meant to hurt her best friend, she was too loyal to him for that._

_"Look...if you want me to leave...I'll leave right now. No one has to know...I'll just take off and you won't hear from me anymore." Tara nervously stammered as she began to stand up ready to leave her family behind._

_Glenn quickly stopped her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back down. "No way are you leaving. Tara, seriously it's okay. I get it. I know you won't do anything to hurt me. Plus, Maggie would be heartbroken if you left. She's really close to you, you are her support also."_

_"I would never hurt you in any way, Glenn." Tara said as her friend pulled her in for a hug. They let go after a few seconds both looking at Maggie who was still sleeping soundly, totally unaware of their conversation._

_"Truth is, out of everyone here, I trust you the most with Maggie cuz I know you would do anything for her." Glenn confided as Tara nodded her head. "Anything," she whispered._

_"I have a feeling that something is going to happen. I don't know what, but I have a feeling that I might not be around much longer." Tara looked at Glenn like he was crazy as he confided in her._

_"You know I won't let anything happen to you, buddy." She assured him as she put her arm over his shoulder._

_"I know but it's just a feeling I have. I've had it for a while to be honest. I just need you to promise me that if anything does happen to me that you will take care of Maggie. I know you would give up your life for her." Glenn stated sadly as he looked at the ground, not wanting to think about not being there for his wife._

_"In a heartbeat...but I promise you, Glenn. If anything happens, I will take care of Maggie." Tara promised as Glenn gave her another hug in appreciation._

_They were silent for a while as they looked at the small fire that Rick had built. Glenn tried to think of a good way to say what he wanted Tara to know._

_"She has some kind of feelings for you, you know." Tara turned to look at Glenn genuinely shocked by his revelation._

_Glenn gave her a small smile, "She doesn't know it yet but I can tell with how she looks at you sometimes. It shows with how she cuddles with you when I'm on night watch rotation with Daryl. How she gets just a little too jealous when you get too flirty with Rosita. I think if I wasn't around she would realize her feelings."_

_Tara didn't say anything as she took in the information. She didn't think Glenn was right about Maggie having feelings for her, she was just friendly with Tara, nothing more. They were pretty close after all._

_Glenn gave her a soft pat on the shoulder as he continued, "So don't feel guilty if after I'm gone, you want to get with her or she wants to get with you. I know you would love and care for her. You would treat her right, not hurt her in any way. Hell, you would even give up your bachelor lifestyle for Maggie."_

_Tara nodded, "I would do all that for her in a heartbeat. Don't worry about it though, Glenn. I'm sure your feeling is just a fluke. You and Maggie will live happily ever after wherever we end up and I will eventually find a nice girl...or maybe a few." The friends both laughed softly at Tara's joke._

_The best friends spent the rest of that night joking around with the yo-yo and just enjoying each other's company, never knowing that just in a few short weeks Glenn's premonition would come true._

_Tara kept the promise she had made to her best friend that night. Maggie's safety and protection was her number one priority, she would never let Glenn down._

* * *

Tara was brought back to reality by Daryl informing her that they were just a couple of miles away from their abandoned home. The pair kept walking until they finally spotted the long driveway that led to their house.

"Let's be careful. Make sure there aren't any walkers over runnin' the place or people." Daryl prepared his crossbow just in case it was needed. Tara raised her gun readying it to shoot any stragglers still around.

The house and the large field around it looked free of walkers as they headed closer to their destination. Daryl stopped walking as they came upon the disregarded bodies of the women Ryen had used as bait. Tara sighed as she tried not to think that those dead women could of been Nicole or her sister. She silently cursed the dead dictator.

"When we get back we will dig out a couple of graves, give them a decent burial. Even if takes all night...deal? No matter how tired we are. They deserve better." Daryl kneeled down to observe the bodies for a few seconds.

"Deal." Tara agreed. She had a feeling after these past couple of days she was going to need twenty hours of sleep for her body to recover.

They continued to the front door of the house, weapons ready for any confrontations. Tara opened the door, walking in slowly with her gun drawn. "I'll check down here. You check the upstairs. Make sure to check all the closets, under beds, anywhere anyone could hide." Daryl told her as he headed to the kitchen with his crossbow in front of him.

Tara headed up the stairs to the second floor of the house. She checked every room, bathroom, closet, under each bed, and any where someone could hide but found nothing so she headed downstairs to see if Daryl found anyone.

As she got to ground level she saw Daryl was at the closet where they had left everyone's gear and their extra weapons hidden. "Everything's still here," He grinned at her as he pulled out two extra hand guns, handing her one. Tara quickly put it in the holster on her belt, grateful Ryen didn't ransack the house in her murderous tirade.

"Seems like it's safe for everyone to come back here. We can stay here for a couple of weeks or so...recover from everything." Daryl informed her as he checked to make sure the water was still running from the faucets. Satisfied that everything was working as before, he led her out to the barn to make sure that structure was free of walkers also.

The duo checked the barn real quick, finding nothing extraordinary. Tara walked over to the bus Abraham had been working diligently on for the past few days for their upcoming trip to DC. She opened the hood, and was dismayed to find that Ryen's men had sabotaged the engine. Some parts were ripped up, some were missing even. She guessed this would take a while to fix. Abraham was going to be pissed.

"Yeah looks like we are gonna have to go out for parts tomorrow or somethin'. Those fuckers couldn't leave it alone." Daryl kicked the tire as he saw how damaged the engine was. "At least it's salvageable tho...I guess. We can go into a town around here in the next few days if there's nothin' on the road. They should have an auto parts store." Daryl closed the hood as Tara nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I was kinda hoping we would be going into town at one point or another. I need to find a jewelry store and I'm sure they will have one." Tara told Daryl as they walked away from the bus.

"Why would you need a jewelry store?" Daryl asked her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Because I need to find an engagement ring. I'm going to ask Maggie to marry me. I don't know when exactly I will ask but I want to make sure I have a ring." Tara couldn't contain the smile that crossed her face when she told Daryl of her plan.

Daryl grinned as he hugged his best friend in congratulations, "You son of a bitch...congrats! I didn't think you were the marryin' type."

"I'm not really but I know that stuff is important to Maggie so I want to do right by her. She deserves the best after all." Tara explained as they started to head back to where their family was to share the good news that their home was still around and safe.

* * *

The day sun signaled that it was about late afternoon when Daryl and Tara finally realized they were close to where their group was camped at. They had walked a quick pace all the way back, stopping only once to grab a couple of energy bars from their pack to eat while they continued on.

Tara had to admit she was dead tired, but she still had the trek back to the house with her family and the burial of those poor women's bodies to endure so she powered on.

The thought of seeing Maggie again made things better though. She missed her girl immensely these last few hours, and she couldn't wait to have Maggie safe in her arms again.

Maggie, on the other hand, was waiting anxiously for Tara's arrival. She had felt disappointed waking up alone but knew Tara had a job to do. So she spent most of her time talking with Rosita updating her on the Nicole situation. Maggie was amused when Rosita had threatened to hurt Tara if she had cheated on Maggie.

Finally, after being away for hours Daryl and Tara spotted their camp with everyone sitting around the burnt out fire. Maggie couldn't contain her excitement as Tara came into her view. She quickly jumped up to meet her girlfriend, running directly into her arms. Tara quickly set her semi automatic down as she wrapped her arms around Maggie's waist pulling her close.

"I missed you so much." Maggie whispered as she leaned in to give Tara a kiss, feeling sparks as their lips touched.

"I missed you too babe." Tara pulled her closer just needing to feel her near. Maggie could see how drained Tara was but knew she would never complain about it. Tara was the type to suck it up and keep on going until the job was done. Maggie admired her girlfriend for that quality.

Tara took Maggie's hand as she led her to where Rick and Daryl were standing, talking amongst themselves. Rick gave her a short smile as she walked up to the men with Maggie close behind.

"So the house is in good order?" Rick asked his two runners as they both nodded their heads.

"Yup...everything is still there. No more walkers around. Only thing is Ryen's men sabotaged our bus engine but we can rebuild that with some new parts." Tara reported to the deputy who seemed pleased with their findings.

Tara felt Maggie shiver slightly at the mention of Ryen's name, she immediately wrapped her arm around her girlfriend and drew her close.

"Those fucks couldn't leave the damn bus alone." Daryl angrily remarked as he remembered the state of the engine after all the hard work they had put into it.

"Well that gives us a chance to just relax and rest up while we fix the bus again. We're goin' to need all the downtime we can get before the trip to DC." Rick patted Daryl's shoulder as he went to go tell the others that it was time to get going if they wanted to arrive before dusk.

Everyone started getting ready to leave, picking up their weapons and making sure nothing was left behind. Michonne was first on rotation to carry Judith until she got tired then the baby girl would be handed to someone else.

The group started walking down the empty road with Rick leading the pack. Tara held Maggie's hand as they walked side by side. Tara couldn't stop herself from looking at the beautiful woman beside her. She couldn't believe that she was actually lucky enough to call Maggie hers.

Maggie noticed that Tara was giving her a cute, goofy smile. "What?" She wondered as Tara just shrugged her shoulders.

"I just love you so much. I'm so lucky to have you." Tara brought Maggie's hand up, placing a soft kiss on it.

"I love you too." Maggie smiled as she leaned in to give Tara a quick kiss.

"Okay lovebirds, enough with the mushy stuff." Rosita said as she caught up to the pair and started walking besides Maggie.

"Hey I can't help it if I'm the perfect Romeo." Tara exclaimed as she winked at the Hispanic girl.

Rosita just rolled her eyes at the taller woman. "Conceited much?" She asked with a short laugh.

Tara just shrugged as the other women laughed at her silly antics. The group kept up their trek as the miles dragged on and on but their spirits were lifted for once as they traveled to their temporary home.

* * *

The family finally arrived to the house just as dusk was settling onto the sky above them. Rick quickly got to work creating a fire so they could warm up for a bit. Abraham looked over the bus engine, cursing to himself at the destruction that was left.

Daryl went into the barn reemerging with two shovels so he and Tara could get to work digging out the graves for Ryen's victims. Rick offered to help but they declined as the pair felt they needed to do this on their own.

Everyone else watched as Daryl and Tara worked on their task. After a while, the onlookers took turns taking much needed showers. Maggie came down from a quick shower, feeling better already after being cleaned of everything that had transpired over the past few days.

She sat down next to Rosita as she watched Tara hard at work, shoveling dirt out of the hole she was digging. Maggie watched intently as sweat ran down Tara's body and her muscles flexed from the strain she was putting them under. Maggie could feel herself getting turned on as she watched her girlfriend work.

Finally, after a couple of hours of digging and filling up the graves, the friends were done burying the victims. Tara took the bottle of water that Rick offered her, and drank it greedily.

"Now clean up and get some rest. Both of you. No night watch tonight. It's not up for discussion." Rick ordered the pair already knowing they would volunteer for the first rotation of the night watch.

"Yes, dad." Tara joked as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead. She went up to Maggie, crouching down to her level to give her a soft kiss. "I'm gonna take a quick shower, babe."

* * *

Tara entered the house, grabbing her bag and going upstairs to take a much needed shower. She quickly shed her dirty clothes, feeling the serene cold water relax her tired muscles.

Suddenly, she heard the door open and close as Maggie slid the shower curtain ajar, poking her head in.

"Hey what are you doing?" Tara asked as Maggie gave her a hungry look, biting her lip seductively.

Tara couldn't help the familiar twitch she felt below as her dick grew hard. No matter how tired she was, her body would always respond to Maggie.

Maggie quickly shed her clothes as she joined Tara, feeling the cold water hit her skin. She barely noticed the temperature of the water, her body was so turned on. She could feel Tara against her, feeling the hardness that rubbed against her skin.

"I'm so horny right now. I just saw how sweaty you were earlier and how your muscles were flexing. I can't stop thinking about it and how wet it made me." Maggie said as she gently pushed Tara against the shower wall, immediately dropping to her knees.

Tara gulped as she felt Maggie start to stroke her, making her rock solid. Maggie leaned forward, tongue darting out to tease at the flesh of her member. Pre cum escaped out and Maggie wrapped her lips around her head, sucking up that small bit before releasing her with a wet pop and a moan.

"Oh fuck," Tara groaned, gripping tighter at the wall behind her. Her knees felt weak and she knew she would be on the ground before this was all over. Maggie smirked and leaned closer taking her head between her lips and sucking lightly. Dots danced in front of Tara's eyes and she tried hard not to make any loud noises. It wouldn't be good for either of them if someone heard them outside of the bathroom and busted them. Maggie's hand worked up and down her member as she slowly sucked in more of her. Tara's eyes rolled and her muscles tightened as she felt the tip of her prod into the back of Maggie's throat.

Then something happened she wasn't expecting nor had Maggie tried before. Maggie took in even more of her and Tara felt herself slipping even further down Maggie's throat. The muscles of Maggie's throat flexed around Tara. Tara felt her jaw drop in awe at the tight wetness that surrounded her.

"Fuck!" She gasped reaching down to run her fingers through Maggie's wet hair. Maggie hummed around her and stars exploded her mind. Her balls contracted powerfully as her orgasm punched through her. Maggie slipped back just a little and began swallowing all that Tara was spurting into her mouth. Tara's vision was blurred and every muscle inside her body was pulled tightly, her grip strong at the back of Maggie's head.

Maggie drank up every last drop of her, wanting to make sure not one drop went to waste.

Tara pulled Maggie up, roughly pushing her against the wall. She picked Maggie up, forcing the other woman to wrap her legs around her.

Maggie felt Tara rubbing against her hot, dripping entrance. She tried to lower her body down onto the hard cock but only the tip teasingly went inside her.

Tara smirked as Maggie whimpered in frustration. Every time the head of her cock rubbed over Maggie's clit, they both moaned and jerked into each other. Tara could already feel herself building towards her peak and by the tremble in Maggie's legs, she knew Maggie was dangerously close to coming already.

Tara pinned Maggie's hands above her head against the slippery wall and kissed her deeply, still thrusting against her but not entering her. Her cock was teasing her girlfriend, driving her closer to the edge but Tara was able to adjust herself so it wasn't building her up as quickly. She was still being driven insane by the intense smell of sex in the air.

"You feel so amazing..." Maggie mumbled against their lips, panting fast as her hips jerked each time Tara's cock nudged against her clit.

Tara thrusted a little harder, nudging in the right angle and Maggie was exploding in a writhing moaning mess. She could feel the wetness dribble out of Maggie and wanted nothing more than to feel it wrapped around her.

In one swift thrust Tara was buried all the way in, tip slamming into Maggie's cervix. Maggie's head tossed back, slamming into the wall and crying out in pleasure. Tara shifted her legs to balance out their weight, leaning them against the wall before she began thrusting her hips.

She pulled out, tip edging at Maggie's entrance before slamming home. She kept it slow, drawing out her powerful thrusts and taking pleasure at being able to be inside Maggie again. This was her own personal heaven, one that she had become addicted to.

Beads of sweat built up between them. The wall making noise every time Tara pounded into Maggie, she didn't care who heard all the noise. Maggie would lift when she had the strength and bring her hips down to pull Tara in deeper. Wet slaps, grunts, and the heavy thuds of Maggie's body slamming into the wall with every hard thrust filled the the room.

She could feel the coil inside her twisting painfully wanting to snap but she kept fighting it off, biting into her tongue to get the pain to bring her back down. Maggie gripped at her shoulders, nails digging into the flesh there as she began gasping.

"God...you're so big..." Maggie whimpered as Tara filled her over and over again. Tara knew she wouldn't last much longer so she quickened her long strides, reaching down to rub Maggie's clit with her skilled fingers.

She felt Maggie come undone as she felt a burst of her girlfriend's hot juices coat her dick as Maggie came hard. Tara couldn't hold on as she felt herself explode inside of Maggie filling her to the brim with hot spurts of cum.

They stayed connected for a few minutes as Tara licked and sucked on the perfect breasts in front of her. Tara slowly pulled out of Maggie, hearing her whimper at the loss of their intimate connection.

"I love you so much." Tara leaned into kiss Maggie, slowly pushing her tongue into Maggie's mouth, wanting to taste her.

"I love you too." Maggie whispered as she looked deep into Tara's eyes, loving the feeling she felt when Tara's attention was focused just on her.

"We should clean up and get dressed before someone comes looking for us." Maggie suggested as Tara nodded in agreement. Tara was still trying to come down from her intense high.

They quickly showered, cleaned up, and got dressed. As Tara pulled on a bluish-green plaid shirt she heard Maggie snicker at her.

"What?" Tara asked amused at what her girlfriend found so funny.

"Another plaid shirt?" Maggie asked as Tara buttoned up her shirt.

"Why mess with a classic look?" Tara laughed as Maggie shook her head at her. Maggie had to admit Tara's signature look did look hot on her.

"That's like the lesbian calling card." Maggie joked as Tara chuckled, amused at her girlfriend's statement.

"Like I said...why mess with a classic?" Tara remarked as the couple headed downstairs to see what their friends were up to.

Everyone was still up, surprisingly since it was so late at night. They were laughing and enjoying themselves for once as they shared stories amongst themselves. The fire in the hearty fireplace gave off a comforting, warm glow as the warmth made the living area cozy.

Tara led Maggie to the couch where she sat down next to Daryl, patting her lap so Maggie could sit. Maggie sat on Tara's lap and felt her heart swell as her girlfriend pulled her close.

Daryl handed Tara a small bottle of whiskey which she took a generous drink from. Maggie felt Tara's arms wrap around her, loving how safe and protected she felt in them. It was a feeling she would never get enough of.

Maggie leaned her head on Tara's shoulder as she listened to Rick and Tara trade police stories while Daryl and Carol chimed in every few minutes with side commentary. Daryl and Tara took turns drinking from the bottle of liquor, enjoying the feeling of calmness as they finally allowed their bodies to relax.

Maggie loved feeling Tara laugh against her, realizing that in this carefree moment she would never love anyone as much as she loved Tara. Tara was one of the best things to ever happen to her, and she knew she would go through her past pain all over again if it meant being with Tara in the end.

She placed a soft kiss on Tara's neck, taking in her girlfriend's familiar, comforting scent. She felt Tara pull her closer, conveying with just her touch how much she loved Maggie.

Maggie let her mind wander as she thought about marriage and starting a family with Tara. She knew it was probably way too early to bring up those subjects but with the unstable world they lived in now, life was too precious to just wait around. Maggie hoped that one day she would be the mother of Tara's children.

The family enjoyed the long night in one another's company, feeding off of each other's inner strength. They felt lucky to be whole once again after the recent hardships they had endured. The friends knew not to take precious moments like this for granted so they treasured their time together, knowing they lived in a world now where life could change in an instant.

* * *

Author's note: Yay...I'm glad I was able to get this out today. This was more of a filler to get them home safely. Next chapter should be more light hearted/fun since our characters will be more relaxed. Maybe a drunk Tara? :) anyways thanks for all the love and reviews...you guys keep me motivated. Next chapter should be up in 3-5 days. Love y'all.

Tegan09: I can't answer that yet...but you will know soon enough.


	8. Get Lucky

Tara woke up the next morning to the bright Georgia sunlight coming in through the window. She stretched, her muscles still tired but feeling more rested. She looked across the living room and saw Daryl passed out on the couch. Tara realized that she was alone in her designated corner, Maggie no where to be found. The room was empty except for her and Daryl. Tara guessed that Rick had let them sleep in a few extra hours.

Tara sat up slightly, figuring that it was probably almost noon. She hadn't been able to sleep in this long in awhile. She wondered what job Rick would have for her to do today. Probably go into town with Daryl to see if there was an auto parts store. That made a wave of anticipation cross her body, maybe she would be able to get that engagement ring today. Tara began to daydream about the ring when she heard a scream coming from upstairs.

"Tara! Help!" Tara jumped up immediately, recognizing the voice as Maggie's. She grabbed her knife, ready for any confrontation as she ran up the stairs. Tara's mind was going a mile a minute wondering what was wrong with Maggie. Maybe she hadn't checked the house correctly. Maybe one of Ryen's soldiers had hid well and now had her girl.

She finally made it to the bathroom where the scream had come from. She barged into the room, knife out. Tara looked around, ready for anything. She saw Maggie in the corner of the room, but that was it. No evil man. No impending danger.

She relaxed her grip on her knife, slipping it back into its sheath on her belt. Maggie had a look of relief on her face.

"Oh thank God you're here! There is a huge spider hiding behind the potted plant in that corner!" Maggie pointed as Tara followed her gaze, seeing a large grass spider on the floor.

"A spider?! That's what has you screaming? You're scared of a little spider?" Tara couldn't help but be amused that her girlfriend was scared of a little bug.

"That thing's not little. It's huge! Kill it!" Maggie squirmed when the spider moved an inch closer to the potted plant.

Before Tara could react, Daryl came running into bathroom with Sasha close behind him. They had presumably heard the screams, quickly running to help. Before he could stop himself, he barged into Tara, sending them both flying into the bathtub ahead of them.

Sasha and Maggie couldn't contain their laugher as Daryl and Tara landed in the bathtub. "What the hell?" Tara yelled as Daryl landed on her, she knew she was going to have a few bruises later because of this.

Daryl and Tara both tried unsuccessfully to get out of their predicament. Sasha and Maggie chuckled as the usually calm and collected duo kept tumbling over each other. Each yelling explicits at the other as Daryl tried to get his balance but kept falling back down on Tara.

Finally, Daryl was able to get out. Reaching down, he helped Tara out as the women in the room kept laughing hysterically at them. Tara huffed loudly as she straightened up her clothes.

"Thanks for the help guys." She shot a look at her girlfriend and Sasha as they tried to stifle their giggles.

"We're sorry...that was just so funny. Usually y'all are all big and bad, but it was hilarious seeing y'all tumble around like a bunch of idiots." Sasha defended herself as Daryl and Tara tried to keep from laughing.

"You better be careful, Maggie. I won't get that spider you were screaming about." Tara threatened as Maggie suddenly remembered what started this mess in the first place. She looked, seeing with dismay that the brown spider was still in place.

"That's what all that yellin' was bout'? A damn spider?" Daryl asked as he spotted the arachnoid by the plant.

"Yeah...a little spider. Maggie, I've seen you take on walkers like they're nothing. How are you scared of a tiny spider?" Tara wondered as she couldn't help from laughing at her girlfriend. She had to admit she did find Maggie's aversion to insects cute. It also meant Tara could be a big time hero and save Maggie from every bug she encountered. If that wasn't an ego stroke, she didn't know what was.

"Spiders are serious business. Plus, they are icky." Maggie defended as Sasha nodded her head in agreement.

"Did you really just say icky?" Tara laughed as she moved closer to the spider. Just as she was about to step on it with her boot, Maggie grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Wait! Don't kill it...take it outside." Maggie had a sudden change of heart regarding the spider's execution.

"Seriously? I can just kill it right here and that be the end of it." Tara moved to kill the arachnoid but Maggie pulled at her arm again.

"Take it outside! If you kill it, I won't suck your dick for a whole week." Maggie threatened as Daryl and Sasha snickered at the banter between the two lovers.

Tara turned to look at Maggie, shocked at her threat. Seeing that Maggie was dead serious, Tara sighed loudly.

"Fine, I will take the damn thing outside. You're lucky I love you." She left the room for moment, returning with a book to put the spider on. Damn Maggie and her talented tongue.

Sasha laughed at Tara, "Man...you're whipped."

"I am not." Tara retorted as she bent down to coax the spider onto the book so she could toss it out. Finally, the spider was on the book.

"Yeah you are...no denying it. You're pussy whipped." Daryl teased as Tara glared at him. Okay, so maybe she was whipped. There was no denying that Maggie had her wrapped around her finger.

Tara led the small group down the stairs and out the front door. She tossed the spider onto a nearby bush much to Maggie's delight.

"You're my hero." Maggie gave her a small kiss as she wrapped her arms around Tara's neck pulling her into a hug.

"Yeah you can thank me later." Tara smirked as Maggie just shook her head. Rick walked up to them, joining the small group.

"Hope you slept good. You guys ready to go into town to look for those auto parts?" Rick asked Tara and Daryl as they both nodded their heads.

"Alright now get to it so you can be back as soon as possible." Rick gave them both a pat before he went to go join Michonne and Judith.

"Let's get our packs and get goin'" Daryl suggested as he went to collect his gear and say goodbye to Carol.

Maggie followed Tara inside as she collected her backpack and weapons. Maggie felt a little sad that her girlfriend would be gone for few hours. Tara knowing that Maggie was feeling a little anxious about her upcoming trip, pulled Maggie close to her.

"I'll be back before you know it, babe." Tara leaned in to kiss Maggie. The kiss quickly became passionate as Tara let her hands wander all over Maggie's body. Tara pulled away, feeling herself start to get too excited.

"I gotta go baby. I love you." Tara gave her a quick peck as they walked outside, seeing Daryl waiting for her.

"I love you too. Be careful." Maggie held onto Tara's hand until the driveway met the road. She watched Tara and Daryl walk down the road until they were out of sight, feeling a piece of her missing with each step Tara took away from her.

* * *

Tara and Daryl walked ten miles until they finally came upon the small abandoned town. There were quite a few run down buildings, but the town looked mainly untouched by past looters. There was an auto parts store, a grocery store, pharmacy, and a small jewelry store. They couldn't believe their luck.

"Let's go get some auto parts first. Then you can go get your ring for Maggie. Then we can check out that grocery store and see what food might be there." Daryl suggested as they walked to the auto parts store.

"Sounds good bro." Tara gave him a fist bump as they entered the store cautiously. Their weapons were drawn as they looked around for walkers. Seeing no threats, they quickly went to work finding spark plugs, new brake pads, battery, and other various parts.

After they had found what parts they needed for the bus, they headed to the jewelry store so Tara could get Maggie's ring. Tara slowly opened the door to the small building, gun drawn. Her eyes quickly swept throughout the building, seeing no danger she called for Daryl.

Together, they headed to to the case where the engagement rings were kept. Tara hopped behind the glass counters, pulling out all the rings. She then hopped back over so her and Daryl could observe them together.

"Okay this is going to sound weird but can you pretend to be Maggie so I can see which ring is the right one?" Tara asked Daryl as she picked out the first diamond ring.

"Ok..." Daryl said with a puzzled look, not sure he understood fully was his friend was asking.

Tara bent down on one knee in front of him, she couldn't believe she was doing this but she had to make sure the ring was perfect. She held the ring out in front of Daryl, "Would you say yes to a ring like this? If I asked 'will you marry me' would you say yes?" she asked him.

Daryl thought about it for second. The ring didn't feel right to him, he was sure this wasn't the ring Tara wanted. "That's not the right one. Try another one." he offered as Tara stood up to select another one.

They went through about five rings, though each were beautiful in their own right, they just weren't the one. Finally, Tara found one she thought was the perfect one. It had a beautiful center cut diamond that sparkled atop of a gorgeous platinum band. It was not too plain but also not too flashy.

She got down on one knee in front of Daryl holding the ring out. Daryl took a look at the ring and felt this was the one for Maggie. "That's the one."

Tara smiled as Daryl gave her a brotherly hug. "Can't believe you are goin' to ask Maggie to marry you. It's 'bout time you make an honest woman out of her," he teased as Tara playfully hit his shoulder.

She collected a ring box and put the ring carefully in it. Then she placed her newfound treasure in her pocket. Tara wasn't sure when she would pop the question but she was prepared if the right moment ever snuck up on her.

"Let's not ever talk about all the practice proposals ever again" Tara suggested as they left the jewelry store and headed to the grocery mart down the street. "You gotta a deal." Daryl agreed just imaging how much shit their friends would give them if they found out. They both had reputations to maintain after all.

The friends quickly scouted the grocery store looking for any stray walkers, when they declared the mart clear they met to see who would get what. "I'll look for some canned food, water, and see if there are any energy bars around." Daryl offered as Tara nodded in agreement.

"Cool deal. I'm gonna see if there is any baby food, diapers, and formula for Judith. And Abraham wanted me to look for some condoms. Guess it can't hurt to have some of those around." Tara gave Daryl a quick fist bump as the two went about their tasks.

Tara successfully found Judith's food and diapers, quickly filling her backpack with as much that would fit. She decided she could come back tomorrow for the rest with Daryl, then Judith would have a stock of food to last a long while. Tara went to the other side of the store searching for the condoms. She finally found the contraceptives, putting a few boxes into her pack. Tara decided she should try to use them more often, she wasn't sure the group would be ready for another baby if Maggie got pregnant.

Deciding she had gotten enough for the day, she went searching for Daryl so they could head back home. "Hey did you find anything useful?" She asked after she finally spotted her friend.

"Did I ever! I found a lot of food. We'll have to come back tomorrow to get the rest, but I found somethin' even better." Daryl excitedly told her as he stepped aside to show her a few boxes full of six-packs of beer.

"Sweet! How many packs are there?" Tara asked, feeling excited about Daryl's find.

"There has to be like sixteen six-packs in these boxes. We're so gettin' shit faced tonight." Daryl told her of his plan, as Tara readily agreed. It had been a while since she had been drunk or had a beer even.

"We need a set of wheels to carry all this back. And even then we have to come back tomorrow since it's so much." Tara said as she went to the front of the store searching the streets to see if there was a car she could hot-wire.

Tara spotted a newer model blue Chevy Camaro up the street. She got Daryl's attention as they went out to inspect the vehicle. Tara opened the door and set to work trying to start the car. After a few attempts the engine roared to life.

"Now we have a hot ride." She told Daryl as he looked in the car. "Can you drive a stick?" he asked when he saw the car had a manual transmission.

"Hell yeah I can drive a stick. I learned to drive using my dad's old Mustang and that had a manual transmission." Tara assured him as they climbed into the car. She revved the engine a couple of times before driving the sports car to the front of the food mart. The two quickly got to work packing up all their finds, making sure to be extra careful with the alcohol.

"We'll just come back tomorro' for the rest." Daryl stated as he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Sounds good. I won't mind driving this beauty tomorrow." Tara revved the engine some more, loving the sound that resulted. She quickly put the car in drive, and took off towards their temporary home. Both of them enjoyed the joy ride as the fast wind went through their hair, giving them a calm, relaxed feel.

* * *

The Camaro charged up the long driveway, with the engine rumbling with all the horsepower the car contained. Rick and Abraham both had their hands on their guns when they spotted the strange car, but quickly relaxed when they saw it was their runners.

Tara drove into the front yard, doing a couple of donuts to show off her driving skills before killing the engine.

"Nice ride." Abraham admired as Tara jumped out of the car.

"Yup...she's a beauty. I picked her up in town. Rides real nice and smooth." Tara ran her hand down the car, admiring the perfect metal body.

"I'm starting to think you love that car more than me already." Maggie joked as she joined the group. She had to admit that Tara did look pretty hot pulling up to the house in the sports car.

"No offense, babe, but I would have sex with this car if I could." Maggie just rolled her eyes at Tara's answer, playfully smacking her shoulder.

Rick was impressed with all the food and baby stuff the pair brought back. He was equally impressed when Tara told him there was even more supplies back at the store, and they would be heading out to get it all tomorrow. At this rate, they would be set for a while and would be very prepared for the trip to DC. Rick would just need them to check out some other towns around the house for more ammo and guns.

Abraham, on the other hand, was more impressed with the all the beer they had managed to bring back. He definitely planned on drinking tonight, even Rick expressed interest in having a few. Tonight would be a carefree night for the family where they could enjoy themselves for once.

* * *

The night sky started to descend on the group as Daryl and Tara got to work making a fire in the fireplace. The family was seated around the living area laughing amongst themselves. As soon as the fire was set and glowing, Tara handed all the men a beer, even Eugene took the bottle that she gave him. Rick had also let Carl have one beer since this would be his first one ever. She tried to give the women one also, but they opted to drink some wine that Michonne had found in the wine cellar in the basement.

"Besides all you guys are going to be stupid drunk. Someone has to hold down the fort." Michonne told the guys as they took the caps off of their drinks.

Tara sat down on the couch next to Maggie, pulling her close wanting to feel her girlfriend's body next to hers.

"Hey Daryl want to have a chugging contest? Bet I can out drink you." Tara challenged as Daryl glared at her.

"You're on!" Daryl accepted as the men laughed at them, the women just shaking their heads.

"Alright...one...two...three...drink!" Tara yelled as she and Daryl both chugged their beer as fast as they could. Tara finished hers first, slamming the bottle into the coffee table.

"I win!" She said triumphantly as she raised her fist in the air. Maggie just giggled at Tara, she loved seeing her all carefree and not so guarded.

"Rematch!" Daryl didn't want to lose so he grabbed them two more brews. This time Daryl won which led to Tara wanting a rematch. They soon went back and forth until they had each chugged six beers in a matter of minutes. Their competitive nature getting the best of them.

Rick knew he should make them slow down but they both deserved to have some fun so he let them drink into a stupor. He knew they were going to get drunk quickly, but he figured they might as well provide some entertainment for the rest of the group.

Tara and Daryl were on beer number seven when Tara declared herself the winner of their game. She knew she was already feeling drunk, her hand moving to Maggie's thigh, slowly moving it up. Maggie didn't mind Tara getting handsy with her. She loved it when Tara's hands were on her and feeling Tara's soft touch made her excited. Maggie could feel the sparks every time Tara stroked her leg.

"Man...I could out drink you any day." Daryl announced as he grabbed another brew. Tara just shook her head, standing up. She stumbled just a bit, she wasn't wasted drunk yet but she was definitely headed there.

"Yeah right. I'm gonna drink way more than you fucker but first I gotta piss." Tara stumbled to the half-bath that was located downstairs. After Tara finished, she walked back out into the living area.

Just as she entered the living area, Rick laughed at her and turned his head away quickly. "Woah...Tara...we know you are proud of that thing but put it away." Everyone turned to look at her, most of them impressed by what they saw. Tara was confused at why everyone was looking at her.

"Tara! You didn't zip up! And your little friend is out for the world to see." Maggie exclaimed as Tara looked down, seeing that her half of her dick was out.

"Whoops! My bad guys." Tara quickly turned around, zipping up her jeans as everyone laughed at her.

"But it's definitely not little Maggie, baby. You know that." Tara slurred as Maggie blushed at her statement. Maggie wasn't sure she wanted their sex life on display for everyone to hear.

"Thanks for putting the rest of us to shame." Abraham observed as Rosita smirked at him. She definitely remembered Tara's size though she wouldn't dare say that out loud now.

"How big is that thing?" Sasha asked, genuinely curious about what Tara was packing.

"Well, I don't like to brag but last I measured it was nine inches when it's up and ready for a good time. And it's pretty round." Tara bragged to her friends.

"Yeah a good time with your hand." Daryl jabbed as Tara punched him playfully on the shoulder. He smacked her back with a joking swap.

"Why do you guys feel the need to measure it?" Maggie asked as she saw Tara grabbing another beer.

"Ummm...for science." Tara answered as the rest of the group laughed.

"The average penis length is five to six inches when erect, I can say that that was definitely above average." Eugene observed as everyone cracked up again.

"Well, I can't help it if I'm well endowed." Tara shrugged as she caught a couple of the women staring at her.

"I think I have you beat." Daryl challenged as he stood up and stumbled over to where Tara was.

"No way! Whip it out and let's compare." Tara felt her competitiveness get the best of her again.

Rick knew that both of his runners were wasted now. In fact, he had lost count of how many drinks they had consumed. If they had been sober this little contest wouldn't be happening but he figured as long as they weren't hurting anyone, he would leave them alone.

"What are we? Teenagers all of a sudden? There will be no whipping out of anything. No one wants to see that." Maggie stopped Tara from zipping down her jeans.

"You definitely weren't complaining about it last night. You've begged for it before." Tara retaliated as Maggie sent glares at her.

"Speak for yourself, Maggie. I want to know which one is bigger." Carol laughed as Sasha nodded her head in agreement.

Maggie ignored the other women, "If you want to compare, go to another room." She ordered both Tara and Daryl.

They both sighed loudly like children in trouble as they went into the kitchen to see who was the victor. A couple of minutes later, Tara came out of the kitchen with a big, triumphant smile on her face.

"I'm still the champion!" Tara staggered into the living room, grabbing another beer. She twisted the cap off and drank almost half in one gulp. She sat down next to Maggie on the couch.

"Whatever. I'm a close second." Daryl claimed as he walked up to the others, buckling up his belt.

"Ya know what I miss most about how life used to be. Music. Especially that one song." Tara randomly changed the subject, forgetting about her victory.

"Remember that one song?" Tara asked before she started to sing the song which made everyone laugh. They were definitely going to make fun of her for this in the morning.

"Just a small town girl, livin' in her loooonely wooorld. She took the midnight train goin' annnywhere." Tara took a long drink before continuing her song.

"Just a city boy, born an' raised in Sooouth Detroooit. He took the midnight train goin' annnywhere." Tara suddenly stopped singing when she thought of something.

"Hey, Maggie that's us. You're my small town girl and I can be your city boy." Tara observed as the others cracked up at her. Tara laughed with them, forgetting the song she was singing.

Abraham just shook his head. He had to admit that this was very entertaining to watch, even though he was a bit drunk by now. He decided to try to make things a little interesting. "So guys...craziest place you have ever had sex at?"

"Outside at a concert." Rick told them as Abraham gave him a fist bump.

"Umm...outside in the woods." Daryl answered after thinking for a minute.

"At a carnival for me." Abraham announced, "what about you, Tara?"

"Hmmm...probably the dressing room at the mall." Tara answered as Abraham gave her a high five.

"Nice! So guys how many women have you been with?" Abraham decided to up the ante with the question.

Rick shook his head, "I've been married for ten years so my number ain't high. I've only been with five women." He answered the question as Carl snickered at his dad.

"Well, I was a bit crazy before I joined the army and got married. I slept with about twenty or so. As I said, I was a bit crazy back then." Abraham confided as he took another drink.

"I've been with 'bout ten women, living out in the woods isn't really the best place to meet chicks. Usually my brother would bring them home." Daryl told the group, he knew he must have been drunk otherwise he would of told Abraham to fuck off with a question like that.

Everyone looked at Tara waiting for her answer. Maggie was especially curious as to what her girlfriend's number was. She knew Tara had been a womanizer back before the turn so she was very experienced.

"Ummm...I'm not sure about the exact number, but it's over thirty. I can't help it if the ladies loved me so much." Tara laughed as the others took in her number.

"How did you not get someone pregnant?" Rosita asked her, a bit taken back by surprise by Tara's number knowing she was a part of it.

"I used protection all the time. You remember." Tara didn't realize what she said as Maggie glared at her. Maggie still couldn't get over that Tara had slept with Rosita even though it happened months ago. She still felt a bit jealous any time it was mentioned.

Tara finally realized what she had said and pulled Maggie into her lap. "You know you're my number one." Tara reassured her as she kissed her neck. Maggie could feel that Tara was getting hard, she decided to tease Tara a bit by rubbing herself against the growing hardness. Maggie smiled when she heard Tara gasp against her.

Maggie turned to look at Tara, seeing that her eyes had darkened considerably. Tara may have been wasted but that didn't stop her from getting horny. In fact, it seemed like she needed Maggie more than ever. Maggie, on the other hand, was going to make her work for it.

"Well guys...ummm...Maggie and I are going upstairs for a little bit. We'll be back in few minutes." Tara quickly got up, taking Maggie's hand to lead her up the stairs. She was pretty sure everyone could see how turned on she was.

"Be sure to last more than a minute." Abraham joked as Tara gave him the finger. "Fuck you man," she laughed as he patted her shoulder. "Go get some," he encouraged as he threw Tara a condom. Tara caught it with ease, and led Maggie up the stairs, her dick throbbing in anticipation.

* * *

As soon as they entered the room, Tara pushed Maggie against the door kissing her roughly. She rubbed her hardness against the other women, loving the moan that came out of Maggie's mouth.

Maggie softly pushed her on the bed, straddling her in place. "Let's make this time a little interesting." She husked in Tara's ear, as Tara felt shivers go through her body.

"How so?" Tara ran her hands over Maggie's perfect form until Maggie grabbed them to stop her roaming.

"Let's see who can last longer without touching the other first. Whoever touches first loses." Maggie softly bit on Tara's earlobe, teasing her as she rubbed against the rock solid erection in Tara's jeans.

"You're on." Tara wasn't one to step down from a challenge as she removed her hands from Maggie's body and held them at her side.

Maggie was sitting on Tara's thighs, lips pressed to her neck while Tara turned her head away, biting her tongue. Tara's hands were at her side, fingers stretched out then clasped into fists, again and again. She's not allowed to touch or she'll lose the game.

She really wasn't fond of losing.

So Tara sat, back against the headboard and legs extended out beneath Maggie's weight, feeling her jeans tighten painfully as soft lips skimmed the curve of her jaw up to her ear. She gnaws the inside of her cheek as teeth find her earlobe, and she feels Maggie's hot breath in her ear.

"I'll make you come so hard," Maggie whispers. "I'll ride you until you blow. All you have to do… is lose."

The offer was tempting. But the satisfaction it would give Maggie—knowing that she had such control—isn't something Tara is willing to give. Not yet at least.

Maggie's hands are behind her head, interlaced in her hair, holding it back from her face. She pulled back and smirked, waiting for Tara to make a move. It usually works by now, the dirty talk. Teasing isn't something her girlfriend abided by very easily before she caves in and fucks Maggie senseless. But tonight something is different. Tara smirked back, not angry or frustrated, and only a little flushed as Maggie's core grinds not-so-innocently against the bulge rising between them.

Her girlfriend doesn't say anything, just flexed her hands again and smiled, lifting her hips to meet Maggie's as they press down. Two can play this game.

"You're pretty good at this," Maggie says, but Tara catches the little hitch in her voice as she jerked up particularly hard. "Maybe I will let you win..."

The grinding of Tara's teeth practically echoed throughout the room. "Maybe I will let win instead, babe..."

A little snort escaped Maggie's throat. She leaned in again and swept her tongue across Tara's lips, which part on instinct, letting her in. She crawled, hands still laced behind her head, until her stomach is pressed hard against Tara's, their cores tight and hot.

She can feel the outline of her girlfriend's cock through the material of their jeans, twitching and straining against her. She can't stop herself from swallowing hard as Tara cants roughly up into her, using the headboard for leverage so her hands stay obediently at her side.

Maggie's wet. She can feel how wet she becomes as Tara keeps jerking up against her. Mostly because she didn't think Tara would last this long without giving in, using her hands to spin them and pin Maggie beneath her, ravishing her.

But Maggie is still straddling her, using every trick she knows to get Tara hard without actually touching her with her hands. She's gyrating now, pressing herself down on Tara's erection and whining into her mouth as she places soft kisses on Tara's lips.

Tara, despite the fact that her jeans have never been tighter, doesn't waver. With Maggie's body writhing above her, she's painfully uncomfortable, sure. Frustrated and grunting with the effort of keeping her hands to herself, she's fucking tortured. Keeping her hands off a body like Maggie's isn't something she wants to do.

Maggie decides to up the stakes, climbing off of Tara to quickly discard her jeans and unbutton her shirt just enough to show off her cleavage. Tara couldn't keep her mouth from watering when Maggie revealed the sexy lacy bra and panties underneath her clothes. If Tara wasn't turned on before she definitely was now as Maggie climbed back on top of her.

But fuck, she definitely doesn't want to lose at this game Maggie put them up to.

Tara arched her back, pushing her mouth up into Maggie's and forcing her back a little, enough so that she sits back on Tara's knees and nearly topples backward. Maggie lets out a little shriek into Tara's mouth, and her hands come out from behind her head to steady herself. Maggie almost grabs Tara's shoulders, but stops herself when she sees what she's doing.

Tara lets out a satisfied grunt, tongue lancing deeper into Maggie's mouth. She can feel the wet patch between her girlfriend's legs rubbing against her jeans, hot and slick and so ready for her. Tara stifled her groan long enough to press forward again, and Maggie leans back to accommodate.

"You think I can't feel how bad you want me?" Tara hissed, mouth moving away from Maggie's lips, across her cheek and down her neck. "You're so wet for me, babe. You want me buried nine inches deep inside you, don't you?"

Tara bites hard on the skin at Maggie's clavicle, getting only a pathetic whimper in response.

"You can dish it out but you can't take it huh?" Tara delivered another bite, on the other side of her neck causing another whimper to escape Maggie's lips. "Tell me how much you want me inside you, baby. You know you want to…"

Maggie's losing the upper hand, and she knows it. She grinds harder, shifting so her pelvis can rut again and again against the straining erection beneath her. Tara moans, but laughs, and Maggie can't control herself as the bulge connects directly with her clit hidden behind the lacy cloth of her panties. A flood releases from within her and she buries her face in Tara's shoulder to stop herself from screaming.

A snicker stops the biting at her chest, and a low rumble creeps up Tara's throat. "You know what you have to do then, baby…"

There's a hesitation, followed by another sharp thrust of Tara's hips, before Maggie's hands are wrapped around the back of Tara's neck, pulling her in and trapping their lips together. Already panting breaths become labored as Tara rips the shirt from Maggie's body, sending the remaining buttons flying all over the room. She quickly removes the bra from her girlfriend's immaculate breasts.

Tara wraps one strong arm around her girlfriend's waist before flipping them. She presses her pelvis into Maggie's molten center, burying her face in between perfect breasts and thrusting hard and fast.

"Please…" Maggie begs, feeling the friction and shuddering at how close she is already. She reached up and quickly unbuttoned Tara's shirt wanting to feel her skin against hers.

"Say it," Tara commands, biting hard on the taut flesh of Maggie's right breast. "Say it, baby."

A yelp escapes from Maggie, eyes squeezed shut. "You win, you win. God, fuck, you win, Tara. Fuck me."

Tara's up on her knees and pulling the panties from girlfriend's long legs before Maggie can finish the sentence. Tara quickly got up, ridding herself of her jeans. Tara lifted one of the Maggie's legs up, throwing her calf over her shoulder before shoving her own boxers down, not bothering to take them off. They're too far gone for that now.

Tara's erection breaks free and she groans, taking it in her hand and squeezing the base hard to keep herself from coming at the sight of Maggie trembling beneath her, legs spread, skin glistening, chest heaving. She presses the swollen, leaking head to Maggie's opening, parting dripping folds but not pushing forward. The girl beneath her whines in frustration, jerking her hips up to fill that emptiness she's feeling, but Tara pulls back, and locks eyes.

"Say it." Tara bends down, the underside of her cock finding Maggie's clit, making her whimper. Her hips buck, teasing Maggie further, using the girl's own juices to slick her length.

"You win, baby," Maggie responds, confused and needy; arching and scraping at Tara's back, her nails digging in to try and pull her down. "You win, I told you."

Tara shakes her head. "Not that. Say it."

Something snaps and the hands on her back ease their desperate scratching to come to the back of Tara's head and pull her down for a long, deep kiss. When they part, Maggie's forehead pressed against Tara's.

"I love you, Tara," she whispered, light green eyes wide, willing and honest. Tara stared at her with her intense brown eyes, conveying all the love she feels with just one gaze.

One quick thrust, and Tara sheaths herself inside her girlfriend. She groans as she bottoms out and Maggie throws her head back in ecstasy. Tara places short, peppered kisses on her lover's long, exposed neck, hands flat on either side of Maggie's head to support herself as she waits for Maggie to get used to the stretch of her girth. The leg not over Tara's shoulder extends around her back and pulls her in deeper, making them both groan, and Tara buries her face in Maggie's sternum.

"Fuck me," comes a desperate plea from above her head, and Tara can do nothing but obey.

Her thrusts begin slow, pulling out and pushing back in shallowly until the tension from Maggie's leg around her lower back brings her in deeper, faster. Small grunts escape Tara's mouth that are no competition for the throaty, satisfied moans that Maggie releases.

Even after all their encounters together, it's still a tight fit for Tara's long, thick shaft. She can feel everything as she thrusts in and out, one hand coming around to thumb Maggie's clit in time with the pounding.

She can feel how hot Maggie is, deep within. How Maggie arches higher; how her moans turn to muffled shrieks, when Tara hits that one ridged spot near Maggie's cervix. Tara can hear the headboard bang against the wall with every thrust she takes. She's sure all the noise can be heard by the group downstairs but she is too far gone to care.

Maggie comes undone, nails digging into Tara's neck and yanking her close, kissing her so she can scream into her girlfriend's mouth as she comes. She rides the shock waves, her hips undulating again and again as Tara feels a rush of heat and slickness over her cock. Tara is still buried, and the grip around her pulls her in so deep that Tara can't hold back anymore, and she follows.

A sharp thrust and her teeth come down on Maggie's lower lip. The two of them moaning together as Tara empties herself inside, letting the last of Maggie's orgasm milk her of everything she has to give.

The leg falls from Tara's shoulder, and she's allowed to collapse fully on top of Maggie. Her hips stay nestled between Maggie's thighs, the two of them breathing heavy as they enjoy the sensation of being spent together, of still being connected until Tara softens fully and pulls out. Half the pleasure, she thinks, is watching her seed leak from Maggie's body. It's nearly enough to bring her to hardness again as she sits up and back on her heels, palming her limp, cum-slick member with one hand while she uses her thumb to play with the wetness between her lover's legs.

Maggie knows what Tara's doing, and she groans at the long fingers between her legs.

"You won already," she teases, closing her legs and feeling the glorious ache of her muscles as she pulls Tara down on top of her again. "Don't push your luck."

"Luck?" Tara questions, bringing her thumb to Maggie's lips and groaning softly as she licks Tara's cum from it. "That was a game of skill, babe. I won fair and square. No luck needed."

Maggie swipes her tongue across her lips and kisses Tara, making her taste herself in Maggie's mouth. She could feel Tara begin to swell again, pressed between their bodies.

"It's called 'getting lucky' for a reason," Maggie replies, her legs spreading again to allow Tara to settle between them gently. Tara's head rests on Maggie's chest, ear pressed to her breast as she listens to her heartbeat slow. Maggie ran her fingers through Tara's hair, feeling Tara softly prod at her wet opening. Tara groans softly, adjusting her hips and pushing her length in Maggie slowly before she lifts her head to smile at her girlfriend.

"Then I guess I'm the luckiest gal in the world." Tara said as she quickly brought them both to the edge again.

Afterwards, they quickly got dressed so they could rejoin the group downstairs. Tara had to run downstairs real quick to get Maggie a new shirt after she ripped up the last one. Tara still felt pretty drunk but she felt good. As she pulled up her jeans, she realized that the ring box was still in her pocket.

In her drunken, horny stupor, she had forgotten that the ring was in her pocket. Thank god for deep pockets, otherwise Maggie would have felt it hidden. She realized she also forgot to use the condom that Abraham had given her. Oh well, she would save it for next time.

* * *

The couple headed downstairs as everyone turned to look at them. Maggie immediately felt embarrassed as she realized they had heard all the commotion upstairs. Plus, with their disheveled appearance it didn't take a rocket scientist to know they had a good time.

"Sounds like you had a good time...you dog!" Abraham congratulated Tara as he threw an arm around her shoulder and handed her another brew.

Maggie sat down in the couch, avoiding all the sly smiles her friends were giving her. Tara sat down next to her, enjoying all the congrats from the guys.

Tara knew she would probably have a hangover from hell in the morning but for now she was just enjoying the feeling of belonging to her group. It had taken her a while to feel like she was part of the family, but now she knew they all cared and loved her as she did them.

Plus, she had the love of the beautiful women by her side. Everyone and everything became background noise as she watched Maggie smile and laugh. Tara knew that Maggie had ruined her for other women, she would never love another girl like she did Maggie.

Tara felt the engagement ring in her pocket which made a wave of excitement wash throughout her body. She couldn't wait to see Maggie's face when she got down on one knee to ask one of the most important questions of her life.

Tara never thought in a million years that would actually be proposing but with Maggie it just felt right. She wished Lily could have been around to see this, she knew her sister would of loved Maggie to death. Tara could already see the two of them plotting against her and having fun at her expense.

Tara sighed sadly at the thought of her sister. She may have lost her family but she gained a new one. She couldn't imagine her life without Maggie in it, and she was sure that one day they would have their own family together.

Tara pulled Maggie closer to her, loving the feeling of having the love of her life in her arms. The woman she would do anything for, the woman she would give up her life for.

"What?" Maggie asked as she noticed Tara staring at her.

"Nothing. You're just so beautiful and I love you so much." Tara leaned in to kiss her, deepening the kiss just a little.

"Mmm..I love you too." Maggie whispered against her lips, making her heart burst. She would never get tired of hearing her girlfriend say that.

Later that night, Tara held Maggie in her arms as they slept on the couch together. She watched Maggie sleep peacefully. She was still pretty drunk but she didn't fall asleep almost afraid that when she woke up all of this happiness she felt would be a dream, and she would wake up in a world where Maggie didn't even know she existed.

So she kept watch over the most precious gift in the world, not taking a second for granted. Hoping that wherever Glenn was, he approved of how she protected and watched over Maggie like she promised him all those long months ago.

* * *

A/N: Okay I had to end it there before my hopeless romantic side got the best of me. Someone asked where I get my ideas. To be honest, they just kinda pop up in my head. Just hope this story isn't too slow moving for y'all. Still have the trip, return of Terminus people, Alexandria, etc to get to. Also I don't mean for them to have sex in every chapter it just kinda happens. *shrugs* so hope all those scenes are up to y'all's standards. Anyways...thanks for all the reviews and love. You guys are awesome. And tegan09...your question should be answered next chapter I think. Also if there is anything in particular you want to see just let me know.


	9. The Con

Maggie stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror thinking about what she should do. She wasn't even sure if she had a problem to solve or not. All she knew was her mind was running through so many scenarios. She needed help, but she couldn't turn to Tara. At least not yet. What she really needed was some advice.

Rosita seemed like the person she should seek, they were very close after all but she wasn't sure if she was the right person for this. She also wasn't sure if Sasha or Michonne would be of any help either. So that left Carol. Not that she minded, Carol had always helped Maggie whenever she needed it.

Maggie went downstairs looking for the older woman. She spotted Rick and Abraham hard at work on the bus engine in the front yard. Tara and Daryl had already left to go look for some more guns and ammunition. She smiled to herself when she remembered how the two runners had played rock, paper, scissors to see who would get to drive the Camaro they had found the other day. In the end, Daryl had won much to Tara's dismay. Tara had made Daryl promise that she would get to drive the sports car back home.

Tara and Daryl could be a handful when they were together. When they were apart they were both put together and serious, but together they could be so juvenile at times. She was happy that Tara had a friend as close as Daryl. Maggie knew Tara missed Glenn immensely, she missed him also but she knew he would want them to be happy in the end.

Seeing that Carol wasn't in the front yard, she went around back and spotted the other woman by the creek out in the distance washing a few items. Carol was alone which made Maggie feel better about talking to her. The less people who knew about her predicament the better.

Maggie finally made it to Carol's side after a few minutes, and sat down next to her.

"Hey," Maggie greeted her as Carol gave her a warm smile in response.

She started to help the older woman with the wash. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Maggie decided she should get it over with.

"Can I talk to you about somethin'?" Maggie nervously asked, as she slowly washed a shirt.

Carol glanced at her friend for a moment, "Of course, what do you need? You can tell me anything after all."

Maggie appeared nervous as she tried to say what she needed to say. Carol took her appearance in, noting how anxious Maggie was acting. She hated to jump the gun with her conclusions but she needed to know that the younger woman was alright and safe.

"Is everything okay? Tara didn't hurt you, did she? Because if she did she will have hell to pay." Carol said as she began to stand up, ready to confront the woman in question even though she wasn't home.

Maggie quickly grabbed Carol's arm and pulled her back down to her pervious position. "No! Nothin' like that! Tara wouldn't raise her voice to me, much less a hand. You know that."

"I'm just making sure. I spent all my life with an abuser. God knows we don't have time for that shit now." Carol was relieved that her sudden conclusion was wrong. Tara didn't seem like the abuser type, she could spot those a mile away, but you never knew what went on behind closed doors. And she would be damned if any of her friends would have to suffer like she did all those years.

"No, Tara would never do somethin' like that. I...just...I..." Maggie stammered over her words, suddenly not sure she wanted Carol to know.

"So what's wrong?" Carol asked with concern in her voice, she was really starting to worry about the younger woman besides her.

"I'm late. I didn't get my period...I'm late." Maggie finally told Carol what was bothering her.

"How do you know you're late? We kinda lost track of time a long time ago." Carol asked Maggie.

"Because Rosita and my cycles synced up since we spend so much time together. Whenever she got one, my came in and vice versa. She just ended hers a couple of days ago and still nothin' for me." Maggie was suddenly nervous with the idea that she may actually be pregnant. Sure, she wanted to have a family, but she didn't think it would happen this soon.

"Okay well, do you have any other symptoms? Extreme tiredness or feeling queasy easily?" Carol listed some symptoms she knew off the top of her head. It had been years since she had been pregnant with Sophia.

"Well, I do feel worn out a lot quicker. I want to sleep in a lot longer than I used to. And I do feel nauseated more easily, but I haven't had any mornin' sickness or anything like that." Maggie explained to Carol what she had been feeling for the past week.

"You won't get morning sickness until later if you're pregnant. Only real way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test." Carol would be lying if she said she wasn't excited about the prospect of having another baby around.

"How am I gonna get one of those? I don't want Tara to know until it's certain." Maggie could feel some tears start to build in her eyes. God, she hated how her hormones seemed to be all over the place lately. That was probably another symptom also.

"Hey...it's okay." Carol pulled Maggie in for a hug before she continued, "tomorrow we can tell Daryl and Tara that we need to go into town and get some feminine hygiene products. They won't ask any questions. They said there was a pharmacy in that one town. There has to be some tests there."

Maggie already felt better about the situation as Carol let her go from the hug. She looked out into the creek, feeling it's serene calmness wash over her.

"So if you're pregnant are you going to keep it?" Carol asked, she needed to know just in case they needed to grab some pills while at the pharmacy.

"I would like to say I would, but I have to talk to Tara and decide what's best for us. Plus, I'm still scared about what happened to Lori." Maggie admitted as Carol nodded her head in understanding.

To tell the truth, Maggie was still traumatized about what had happened to poor Lori during Judith's birth. She didn't want that to happen to her, and leave Tara alone to raise a child. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling that maybe she couldn't go through with this after all.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that with Lori. I should of been there, I think the outcome would have been different if I had been. I practiced on walkers just in case a C-section was needed I would be ready for it, but I just wasn't there." Carol told her as Maggie took in the information. The younger woman didn't know Carol went through all that preparation just in case an emergency happened.

"If you do decide to keep the baby, I promise that I will do everything I can to make sure that what happened to Lori doesn't happen to you. And who knows? Maybe by the time you are ready to give birth, we'll have found a community with doctors and medical care. This might give us that extra motivation to keep going on north. You know we would do everything to make sure you're ok." Carol placed her hand on the younger woman's shoulder to give her some peace of mind.

"But first let's make sure you're actually pregnant. It might just be a fluke after all. But when we're at the drug store tomorrow we can grab some prenatal vitamins and some Mifeprex. So you are prepared no matter what decision you make." Carol informed Maggie as the brunette looked at her, confused.

"What's Mifeprex?" Maggie inquired.

"It's a combination of two pills that will cause an early termination if you decide not to keep it. You should be early enough for it to work. You just take two pills and it will cause a miscarriage." Carol explained to Maggie, who had a bit of a shocked look on her face.

"So it's like an abortion?" Maggie asked, not sure she could go through with something like that.

"In a way, it kinda is. I used it once before because I didn't want to have another child with that bastard husband of mine. It worked. It was hard to go through, especially alone but it worked." Carol sighed as she confided one of her deepest secrets to Maggie. Not even Daryl knew about that.

Maggie was silent for awhile, not sure what to say. She could tell it still affected Carol to this day. Finally, Carol broke the silence.

"Oh well...life goes on right? And that was many, many years ago. Plus, your experience will be different if you decide to go down that road. You have Tara, and I know she will be there for you every step of the way." Carol gave Maggie a small smile. She knew Tara was the type who would be supportive no matter which way this went.

Maggie thought about her girlfriend. She hated keeping this from Tara but she wanted to know for sure before she told her. She didn't want Tara freaking out over a pregnancy scare especially if the result was negative. Maggie didn't want to put any extra stress on her girlfriend.

"Okay so tomorrow we'll go with Tara and Daryl into town and get what we need. Deal?" Carol said as she stood up with her finished wash, and started heading to the house.

"Deal." Maggie confirmed as she walked beside the other woman.

"It will be ok." Carol put a comforting arm around Maggie's shoulders. Maggie could only hope that Carol would be right.

* * *

Tara and Daryl arrived a few short hours later, both of them enjoying the Camaro a little too much as Tara raced the car up the driveway.

They were both in good spirits. The duo had managed to find a few guns and some extra ammo in an abandoned police station in a nearby town. Plus, Tara was excited to finally see Maggie after what seemed an eternity. The best part of going out on supply runs was having someone to come home to.

Tara killed the engine and jumped out, ready to see her girl. Tara could barely breathe as the object of her affection came into view. Tara controlled herself as Maggie and Carol joined the two friends as they unloaded the guns and ammo. Rick quickly went to work inspecting the new equipment.

"Hey babe," Tara smiled as she pulled Maggie into a hug, giving her a kiss. "Hey...I'm glad you're finally back. I was getting lonely." Maggie told her as she leaned in for another kiss, feeling safe in Tara's arms.

"Hey guys tomorrow, Maggie and I want to go into the town that has the drug store. We need to pick up some feminine hygiene products for us ladies." Carol informed the pair as her and Maggie shared a brief look.

"Say no more. It's a double date." Tara joked as the others laughed at her.

"Yes, because nothing is more romantic than going into an abandoned town to get some tampons." Carol sarcastically stated as Tara grinned at her.

"Daryl and I will pick you gals up some flowers beforehand so it has a romantic feel to it." Tara laughed as Carol smacked her shoulder in a playful manner. Carol had to admit that Tara could be a goofball at times, but she figured that would make her a great parent if Maggie found out she was pregnant.

Tara took Maggie's hand as she led her to the small fire that Rick had built. They sat down on a log, everyone else was busy doing mediocre tasks to get ready for the night.

"Hey are you okay?" Tara asked as she noticed Maggie stare off into space as if she were in a world of her own.

"Yeah I'm just a little tired I guess." Maggie lied as Tara gave her look, trying to see through her facade.

"If you say so." Tara finally relented as she took off her jacket to cover Maggie with. The air was steadily growing colder as the sun went down, and she could feel Maggie shiver against her.

Maggie smiled at her girlfriend in appreciation. She loved it when Tara noticed the small things. She felt a pang of guilt for keeping this big secret from Tara. She figured Tara would know soon enough though, and it would save her from having to worry, especially if the test came back negative.

Maggie placed a hand on her stomach, she really had a feeling that it wouldn't come back negative. That made her extremely nervous about how Tara would react. Also about how the group would react.

She almost stupidly thought about taking those miscarriage pills without telling Tara. Only Carol would know the truth. Maggie pushed that idea out of her head almost as soon as the idea entered it. No, Tara deserved to know about the baby if Maggie found out she was pregnant tomorrow. It was Tara's baby too after all. They had made the kid together.

Maggie was getting way ahead of herself though. She wasn't even sure if she was pregnant yet. For now, she would just enjoy the evening and bask in the feeling of being in Tara's arms.

Maggie rested her head on Tara's shoulder, smiling to herself as she felt Tara pull her closer. Being in Tara's embrace was like being home. She felt a sense of belonging, one that she had never felt before in someone's arms.

Tara, on the other hand, was wondering about what was bothering her girlfriend so much. She knew that Maggie wasn't fine at all. Tara just hoped that Maggie would tell her what was wrong soon. She wouldn't push the issue for now.

The evening was spent quietly with the others as they all ate dinner and conversed. Maggie fell asleep leaning against Tara as tiredness overtook her. Tara placed a small kiss on her girlfriend's head, smiling at how cute she looked.

As everyone started to get ready for bed, Tara carried Maggie inside to their designated corner. She gently laid her down covering her with their blanket. Softly, she kissed her cheek before she got ready for the night watch with Daryl.

"Stay here with me." Maggie whispered, already missing the warmth Tara provided her. Tara smiled. Maggie had been very needy lately, not that she minded.

"I'll be back in a few hours. I love you." Tara leaned in to kiss her soft lips. Maggie pulled her closer as the kiss grew more intense before they had pull back for air.

"I love you too. Hurry up and get back." Maggie snuggled back under the covers, grasping Tara's jacket close. The familiar scent of her girlfriend was comforting especially during these unstable times.

* * *

Tara went on night watch, which was uneventful for the most part. Her and Daryl talked about different things that randomly popped into their heads. It was a good, peaceful night for the both of them as they smoked a few cigarettes and drank a couple of beers.

Tara explained to him that while the girls were in the pharmacy getting their products, she wanted to go back to the jewelry store to get a couple of wedding bands so when her and Maggie finally decided to make their marriage official they could both wear a wedding ring. Plus, it would tell strangers that the group ran into that they were off limits. If anyone tried to pursue Maggie after seeing a wedding ring on her finger, then Tara would definitely make it known that Maggie was taken.

After a few hours, Rick and Abraham came out for the next shift. Tara said her goodnights to her friends as she entered the house, ready to get a few hours of sleep.

She laid down next to Maggie and immediately the other woman snuggled up against her as if on instinct. Tara contently smiled as she closed her eyes to sleep.

A couple of hours later, Tara was woken up by Maggie crying in her sleep and trashing around a bit. Maggie had moved away from her and was sleeping on her side by herself. Tara figured her poor girlfriend was having a nightmare.

Gently, she shook Maggie to wake her up, "Hey baby...it's ok...I'm here."

Maggie's eyes opened as she surveyed her surroundings, realizing she was in the living room of their house and not back at the prison with a dying Lori. Her eyes found Tara's, as she felt her girlfriend wipe some tears that had fallen down her face.

"You have a bad dream? It's ok baby, I'm here." Tara soothed as Maggie snuggled into her, hearing her steady heartbeat. The noise brought a sense of calm to Maggie as her body began to calm down.

"It was just a nightmare. I'm okay now." Maggie whispered as she felt Tara's arms tighten around her. She had a nightmare about Lori's death and what she had witnessed that day.

Maggie closed her eyes, trying to get thoughts of that awful event out of her mind. Being in Tara's arms helped, she felt safer already. She placed a soft kiss on Tara. She just wanted to forget her troubles and feel anything but the fear she felt at that moment.

Maggie leaned up, taking Tara's lips in her own, giving her a sensual kiss that left no doubt in Tara's mind what she wanted. "Make love to me." Maggie whispered in her ear making Tara get goosebumps all over her body.

"Right here? Right now? Everyone is in the room, they will notice something is up." Tara reluctantly whined but felt herself growing hard at the prospect of secret, quiet sex.

"Everyone's asleep. We'll be quiet. Please Tara...I need you right now." Maggie begged as she reached down between them, happy to feel how much Tara apparently wanted her also. She undid the jeans in her way and pulled them down. Slowly, she stroked Tara, getting her harder by the second. "Please..."she begged again.

Tara didn't need to be told twice. She flipped them over, so she was on top. Tara surveyed the room, making sure that everyone was indeed asleep. Satisfied, that everyone was still passed out, she covered them both with the blanket so no one would see what was going on. She was determined to help Maggie forget whatever was plaguing her, even if it was only for a few minutes.

Tara leaned down, capturing Maggie's lips, relishing in the taste of her. Torturously slow, she unbuttoned Maggie's jeans, sliding them out of her way.

She nearly came when her fingers came into contact with how wet Maggie was. She slowly rubbed her girlfriend's clit, dipping two long fingers into her. Tara pumped her fingers in and out of the dripping wet center as Maggie pulled her as close as possible.

Passionate kisses were shared between them as Tara brought Maggie to bliss, feeling a rush of wetness coat her fingers. "I need you in me..." Maggie whimpered as she softly gripped Tara and guided her girlfriend to her wet entrance.

Tara didn't need any further instructions as she slowly pushed herself into Maggie, feeling her take her in. They both moaned softly at the feel of Tara slipping in deep. Maggie opened her legs up more so Tara could get in even deeper.

Tara let Maggie adjust to her size for a minute before she started to slowly, quietly thrust in and out. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, pulling her down to kiss her. She needed this intense connection to Tara right now, needed it now more than ever.

Tara placed soft kisses on Maggie's neck as she grunted softly with each thrust she took. Tara didn't know how much longer she would last. Maggie was tight and felt so good enveloped around her hard member. Tara was sure she would come undone any minute now.

"Oh God...Tara...Tara..." Maggie moaned quietly in Tara's ear, as she ran her hands under Tara's shirt feeling her hot skin. She teasingly bit on Tara's earlobe as she whimpered into Tara's ear.

Hearing Maggie moan her name, Tara knew she was a goner. She reached between them and rubbed Maggie's clit to help bring her to ecstasy. Feeling her orgasm take over, Maggie bit down on Tara's shoulder to keep from screaming in bliss as waves of euphoria overtook her body.

Feeling the pleasure and pain combination from Maggie's bite, Tara let herself go as she came deep inside of her girlfriend. Taking a cue from Maggie, she bit down on her lover's delicate neck to keep from making too much noise as the orgasm took over her body. She filled Maggie to the brim as every last drop was milked from her.

Tara collapsed on Maggie when it was over, spent. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara, holding her close, relishing in the afterglow of bliss.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Tara began to pull out, but Maggie stopped her. "Just stay...please." she pleaded. Tara listened as she stayed inside for a bit longer.

Maggie held Tara close, reveling in the connection they shared in that moment. After awhile, Tara slipped out and rolled off of her. Tara pulled her close, so Maggie was on her.

Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie. Maggie sighed with content as the feeling of being in Tara's arms overtook her. It gave her sense of comfort and made her feel safe. Maggie smiled when she realized that Tara had already fallen asleep. Tara always fell asleep after sex if she had the opportunity to. She grabbed Tara closer to her, feeling like she would never get enough.

Tomorrow would bring uncertain news that could change their lives forever but in this moment nothing else mattered except the love the two of them shared. Maggie closed her eyes, then relaxed as sleep overtook her. She didn't have any more nightmares that night.

* * *

The next day Tara, Maggie, Daryl and Carol were ready to go for the short run into town. They all piled into the camaro as Tara drove it down the road at a respectable speed. She didn't want to drive too crazy with the girls in the car. Plus, Maggie hadn't been feeling so great that morning.

They made it into town in a matter of minutes, Tara parked the car by the drug store and everybody climbed out. "You sure ya don't want us to scout the place real quick?" Daryl asked as he looked at the abandoned building.

"We can take care of ourselves tough guys. Go do what you have to do. We'll be fine, I promise." Carol patted both Daryl and Tara on the shoulder and pushed them gently away from the store.

"See you in a few." Tara told Maggie as she gave her a quick kiss and started to head to the auto parts store with Daryl. Abraham needed some more parts and oil for the bus so they had something to do while Maggie and Carol got the feminine hygiene products. Plus, Tara wanted to get a couple of wedding rings without Maggie finding out.

Maggie watched as Tara walked down the street with Daryl, both of them joking about something. Carol wanted to make a joke about the love bite Maggie was sporting on her neck but figured the poor girl was too nervous about a possible pregnancy so she left it alone.

"Come on, let's make sure there aren't any walkers in here." Carol opened the door, her gun out in front of her. Maggie walked in after her, gun out also, looking around for any impending danger. Seeing nothing she put her gun up.

"Come on, let's head to the back." Carol directed as they walked to the back of the store, quickly finding a few boxes of undisturbed pregnancy tests.

"This is the one you want. It detects pregnancy six days sooner than a missed period. We'll take a few. You'll want to do it at least twice to make sure it's accurate." Carol explained as she put a few boxes into her bag.

They found a couple of bottles of prenatal vitamins that Maggie quickly put in her bag. Carol climbed over the pharmacy counter to look for the Mifeprex as Maggie filled her backpack with tampons, pads, and razors for all her friends. She also found some ibuprofen and Midol for cramps.

Carol reemerged from the back with the pills she was searching for, quickly sticking them into her pack so no one would see or find them. She also found a few packs of birth control which she figured would come into good use.

"Here. If the tests come back negative, start using these for protection." Carol handed the birth control to Maggie who quickly put it away.

After getting everything they needed, Carol and Maggie headed out to the car where Tara and Daryl were already waiting for them. They had managed to get everything Abraham needed and the wedding rings, which were safely packed away in Tara's backpack.

"All done?" Tara asked them as she leaned against the car with her arms crossed against her chest. Maggie had to admit that Tara did look pretty hot, she could feel that familiar burning ache in her body.

"Yup, this was such a fun romantic double date." Carol laughed as everyone climbed back into the car to head home.

"I don't know about y'all but Daryl and I had fun frolicking throughout the auto parts store." Tara snickered as she started the car, feeling Carol swat her shoulder.

Maggie was seated in the passenger seat next to her, Tara reached over and took her hand. They held hands until Tara had to shift gears but her hand always found Maggie's afterward. Tara looked over briefly at Maggie, loving the way the wind moved her hair. She couldn't wait until Maggie was wearing the engagement ring she got for her.

* * *

The group arrived home a few minutes later. Tara and Daryl immediately gave Abraham the items he requested as they all looked over the engine. Maggie sat on a log, drinking a couple of bottles of water to prepare for the test. She watched as Tara joked around with Rick and Rosita before her and Daryl went to work gathering and chopping up firewood.

After about an hour of just watching everyone go about their business, Carol walked up to Maggie telling her it was time to take the tests. The house was empty and everyone was busy so they wouldn't be disturbed.

Maggie forced herself to get up, slowly walking into the house and up the stairs. Her nerves were going crazy with anxiety. Maggie didn't know if she was ready to know for sure or not. She went into one of the bathrooms as Carol stood watch in the hallway making sure no one came nosing around.

Maggie took the first test, opening the door so she could wait with Carol. Fifteen minutes seemed like an eternity as she waited for the results. Finally, enough time went by. She wasn't sure if she could look.

"I don't know if I can look." Maggie said nervously as Carol checked the test. "Two lines means that you're pregnant." Carol couldn't contain the smile that was on her face.

Maggie didn't know what to think. Part of her was happy, another part of her was scared out of her mind. All she could think about was what had happened to Lori. She quickly took another test, partly hoping the first was a fluke. The second one came back positive also.

Carol and Maggie moved into one of the bedrooms, where Maggie sat on the bed. She couldn't keep the tears from falling out of her eyes as she realized that she was for sure pregnant.

"Maggie, remember if you want to keep it, I promise you what happened to Lori won't happen to you." Carol put her arm around Maggie in an attempt to comfort the younger woman.

"How can you be so sure? I'm so scared right now. Part of me wants to keep it cuz it's Tara's, but another part wants to get rid of it cuz of the whole uncertain birth thing." Maggie covered her face with her hands as she cried, her body trembling from the heart wrenching sobs.

Carol knew that Maggie needed support and reassurance that wasn't hers to give. "I'm going to get Tara. Just remember I won't let anything happen to you. Tara won't. Daryl won't. Rick won't. We'll do whatever we can to make sure everything ends up being ok." Carol gave her a long hug before she hurried outside to get Tara.

She finally made it to the area where Tara and Daryl were chopping wood and making cracks at one another. "Tara! Maggie needs you. It's serious." Tara was going to make a joke but she saw how serious Carol looked and knew this wasn't the time to play.

"Where is she?" Tara dropped the ax she holding, her mind only wanting to make sure Maggie was okay.

"In the first bedroom." Carol answered as Tara took off running into the direction of the house. Carol stopped Daryl from following her.

"Is everythin' ok?" Daryl asked his friend with a worried tone in his voice.

"It will be once they figure some stuff out. Come on...let's get a snack. You need a little break." Carol dragged Daryl towards a shady spot under a tree so they could have a small snack. She tried her hardest not to worry about Maggie, and the predicament the younger woman was in.

* * *

Tara ran as fast as she could to where Maggie was. All she knew was that her girl wasn't ok and she would stop at nothing until Maggie was alright. Tara barged into the room, almost tripping over herself. Tara cursed silently to herself but she immediately forgot what she was mad about when she took a look at Maggie.

Maggie was seated on the bed, sobbing to herself. Tears falling down her face and onto her lap. Tara knelt down to her level, wiping some of her tears away, her heart breaking at the sight of Maggie so distraught.

"What's wrong, baby? Did someone hurt you? Just tell me who and I swear I'll kill them." Tara was ready for a fight, no one messed with Maggie and got away with it.

Maggie shook her head as she wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, wanting her near. Tara could feel Maggie's tears soaking into her shirt, but she didn't care. She put her arms around Maggie in an attempt to offer some comfort the other woman clearly needed.

Tara moved them so she was laying on the bed with Maggie snuggled into her. Tara whispered comforting words to her girlfriend as Maggie continued to cry on her. Tara ran her hand softly up and down Maggie's body, hoping her touch would offer some reassurance. Finally, after an hour or so, Maggie was all cried out as she laid in Tara's comforting embrace. She figured now would be the time to tell Tara the news.

"I'm pregnant." Maggie sniffed as she felt Tara stiffen underneath her and stop breathing for a second. Clearly, Tara was shocked by the news. This made Maggie feel worse about the situation.

"How sure are you?" Tara asked. During high school and in her early twenties, she had experienced a couple of pregnancy scares with her then girlfriends. Luckily for her, they had been false alarms.

"I took two pregnancy tests and they both came back positive." Maggie said into Tara's neck, she didn't want to look into Tara's eyes afraid of what she might find.

"Do you want to keep it?" Tara asked the question that Maggie wasn't sure how to answer herself.

"Half of me wants to. Half of me doesn't. I have pills to take if we decide not to go through with it. It's supposed to help you miscarry." Maggie said as she snuggled deeper into Tara's body, feeling the tears start up again.

"Hey, it's okay, baby. No matter what you decide I will be there for every step with you. If you want to keep it, I will be there for everything. If you decide not to, I will help you through the process." Tara promised as she placed a small kiss on Maggie's head.

Maggie thought it over in her head, she knew from the very beginning that she would never get rid of a baby her and Tara had made together with love. That was just not something she was capable of doing.

"I want to keep it. I'm just scared that what happened to Lori will happen to me. Carol promised it wouldn't. She said she'll help me every way she can but I'm still traumatized by what happened." Maggie confided to her girlfriend. Tara nodded her head in understanding, Maggie had told her what had happened to Rick's wife when she had given birth to Judith.

"That won't happen to you, Maggie. I promise. I will make sure we find a community that has doctors and medical care by the time you're ready to give birth. I promise. Rick and the others will help, you know they will. I bet if we told them now, Abraham will have that bus ready in two days and we can head up north. Eugene said the best place for survival was Washington DC. Who knows? We might find somewhere before that. But I promise, I will do whatever I can to make sure that you and our baby are safe." Tara promised as she sat up slightly to look into Maggie's green eyes.

Maggie could see in Tara's gaze that this was one promise that Tara intended to keep or die trying. Maggie smiled in spite of herself, feeling a lot better about the situation with Tara's love and support.

"So are we really gonna do this? Are we really gonna have a baby together?" Tara smiled as she leaned in to give Maggie a long kiss.

Maggie smiled as she nodded, giving Tara another passionate kiss. Maggie was still scared about the situation but she felt with Tara by her side she would be alright. Plus, she knew she had her family's love and support also.

"You ready to tell the others tonight?" Tara asked as Maggie nodded her head. "Yeah, only Carol knows since she helped me get the tests and stuff. We also got some prenatal vitamins just in case." Maggie explained as Tara let her hand wander to Maggie's stomach. She couldn't believe that their baby was in there.

"It's my kid right?" Tara playfully asked as Maggie jokingly smacked her shoulder. Tara always knew how to make her laugh, no matter the situation. That was one quality she adored about Tara.

"I want to do something first before we go downstairs." Maggie playfully bit at Tara's earlobe. Maggie desperately wanted to feel Tara's love and reassurance.

Tara turned Maggie to face her, lifted her chin and kissed her. Maggie looked deep into Tara's intense dark eyes.

Tara put her arms around Maggie and pulled her close. With her arms pressed against Tara's chest, Maggie started to unbutton Tara's shirt. Slipping her hand inside the shirt, she ran her fingers over Tara's soft skin stopping briefly at the scar from the gun shot wound. Tara ran her hands all over Maggie's body, feeling every perfect curve.

Maggie eased Tara's shirt off of her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Maggie pushed her heaving breasts against Tara's chest. The heat building between her thighs was getting hard to ignore. She needed to be touched by Tara's gentle hands. Her breathing becoming laboured as their kissing intensified.

Tara's body left no doubt about how turned on she was. Her cock was trying to force its way out of her jeans as Maggie started to unbuckle Tara's belt. She kissed and nibbled at the scar on Tara's stomach as she eased the zipper down.

Pulling Tara's jeans down, Maggie moved down her body and looked up into Tara's dark intense eyes. Maggie pulled Tara's jeans and boxers down in one movement allowing her large dick to spring free.

Looking at it, Maggie kissed the tip then continued pushing Tara's jeans down her legs. With her soft hands tugging at the belt loops of her girlfriend's jeans, Maggie moved the denim fabric slowly down past Tara's crotch. Tara took her cue, quickly ridding herself of the jeans.

As Maggie slowly pushed herself back onto Tara's body, she kept her hot sweet breath tickling her girlfriend's legs as she moved up her thighs. As her lips came level with Tara's impressive erection she couldn't help but kiss the throbbing cock, as she moved up Tara's body.

"Now it's your turn," Maggie whispered in Tara's ear, as Tara knew exactly what she was talking about.

Tara grabbed the hem of Maggie's top and lifted it. Maggie raised her hands above her head as Tara removed the shirt. She held Maggie close, nibbled her ear and kissed her neck as she undid Maggie's bra. With Tara's thumbs under the shoulder straps she ran her hands down Maggie's arms, taking the bra down with them.

Tara let it fall to the floor as she bent to kiss one nipple then the other. Maggie put her hands to Tara's head and pulled her closer to her breasts. Holding Tara as she kissed, suckled, and nibbled; Maggie threw her head back and released a yelp of ecstasy.

Tara fumbled with the belt on Maggie's jeans, eventually releasing it and lowering the zipper. Tara gently pushed her hands under the waistband and pushed down, running her hands over Maggie's body. Maggie kicked them off, releasing a surprised yelp as Tara flipped them over so she was on top.

Tara kissed down Maggie's perfect form until she reached Maggie's panties. Tara put her fingers into the waistband of the panties and eased them down, revealing how turned on Maggie was.

Tara moved forward and kissed Maggie's hot skin as she discarded the panties onto the floor. Tara brought her mouth back to Maggie's pussy, parted her lips and put her tongue to work. Maggie ran her hand to the back of Tara's head and stroked her hair as she pushed her hips forward.

Tara's tongue found Maggie's sensitive clit. Maggie jumped momentarily then pushed Tara's head harder against her. She held Tara's head tightly, knowing that it was the only a matter of seconds before she came.

"Oh God...Tara...yes...fuck." Maggie whimpered as Tara continued to lick her all over. Tara loved the taste of Maggie in her mouth.

Maggie's body started to convulse as wave after wave of her intense orgasm took her. Her juices started to flow into Tara's mouth, her hips jerking forward.

"Please Tara...I need you inside me. Please..." Maggie pleaded as she pulled Tara up to kiss her, tasting herself on Tara's talented tongue.

Tara climbed between Maggie's legs and paused before bringing her pulsing cock to her girlfriend's dripping entrance. Maggie pushed her hips up to Tara, forcing Tara's cock into her.

Wrapping her legs around Tara's waist, Maggie pulled her close essentially forcing Tara in deeper. Her tight pussy gripped Tara as she slowly entered her.

The feeling was something Maggie never experienced before. She felt as if she was taking more than just Tara's cock inside her. As her cervix started to milk Tara's hard cock, she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and pulled Tara into her.

Maggie's head went back offering her whole body to Tara. The muscles clenched and her arms held Tara even tighter. She never wanted to let Tara go, she never wanted this feeling to end.

Tara was in her, not just in her pussy but her whole body. No longer two people, they were one. Loud moans came from Maggie's mouth as the air left her lungs. Maggie was completely unaware of this; she only knew that this was the most amazing feeling in the world.

Tara was trying to hold back, and make this last as long as possible. Maggie felt so good though, she knew she was teetering on the edge. Tara could feel that familiar ache as her body begged for its release.

Tara knew Maggie was close, she could feel her hot walls clench around her dick. Tara felt Maggie convulse around her, as glorious wetness coated her throbbing cock.

Tara tried to hold on but was too close to the edge. She came inside of Maggie, sputtering out hot cum deep inside.

Breathing heavily, Tara fell on top of Maggie, all her energy spent. Tara tried to relax as Maggie wrapped her arms around her, feeling content.

They laid in the aftermath of ecstasy for a few minutes before Maggie decided they needed to get up before someone came looking for them.

Afterwards, they quickly got dressed. As Tara was putting her plaid over shirt on, she felt the ring box in her pocket. She decided now would be the perfect time to take the plunge and ask one of the most important questions of her life. Maggie, after all, was going to give her one of the best gifts she could ever imagine.

"Maggie, I need to ask you something." Tara was suddenly very nervous as Maggie turned to look at her. Tara had never seen such a beautiful woman, and couldn't believe that Maggie was hers.

Slowly, Tara got down on one knee, taking the ring box out of her pocket. Maggie gasped as she saw the beautiful ring the box contained. Tara's heart was racing, as she looked up at the love of her life.

"I wanted this to be a lot smoother and romantic because you deserve the best. But I think this is the perfect time to ask. Maggie, when I met you I never knew how much my life would change. We have been friends, best friends, lovers...I can't imagine my life without you." Tara saw tears in Maggie's eyes as she continued.

"You're the love of my life. My future, my everything. You're the only one I want to be with. I promise you, I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you. So Maggie Greene, will you make me the happiest person in the world and marry me?" Tara asked as she presented the ring to Maggie.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Tara, I will." Maggie cried as Tara slipped on the ring, relieved that it fit perfectly. Maggie looked at the beautiful ring for a second before she wrapped her arms around Tara's neck and gave her a passionate kiss.

Tara was so happy. Her and Maggie were essentially married, they were expecting a baby. Everything seemed so right. Tara couldn't wait to tell the others the good news.

As they walked downstairs, Tara stopped at her backpack to get the wedding bands out. Maggie couldn't believe Tara went through all this trouble just for her.

"Since marriage isn't the same as it used to be, I figured even though we can't have a wedding, we can still have the rings." Tara smiled as she slipped Maggie's wedding ring on her finger, adding it to the engagement ring.

"I love you so much." Maggie cried as she took the other ring, and slipped it onto Tara's finger. It was the perfect symbol of their love and unity.

"I love you too." Tara smiled as she kissed Maggie passionately, this was definitely one of the happiest days of her life. She still couldn't believe that Maggie was her wife now, she was so damn lucky.

* * *

Tara led Maggie outside, where the rest of the family was around the fire just enjoying themselves.

Carol took a look at Maggie, and was happy to see a smile on her face. She knew the young couple would figure things out.

"We have a couple of announcements to make." Tara beamed as the others looked at her expectedly.

"Well, first we got engaged and did the whole elope thing so we're pretty much married now." Tara announced as she and Maggie showed off their rings. Rosita, Michonne, Sasha, and Carol jumped up to hug Maggie as they gawked at the beautiful engagement ring. Daryl, Abraham, and Rick gave Tara a brotherly hug as they told her congrats. Carl hugged both of them as Judith laughed. Eugene shook Tara's hand, telling her he was happy for the couple.

"And second...Maggie is pregnant." Tara told everyone as they all gasped at the news. Carol couldn't contain her excitement as she hugged Maggie. Rosita couldn't believe the news as she wrapped her arms around Maggie.

Abraham put Tara in a playful headlock as he ruffled up her hair. "You dog, you! Congrats!" He was genuinely happy for his friend. Daryl pounced on Tara for a hug, not believing the news that Maggie was pregnant.

"Congrats! I'm gonna be an uncle." Daryl laughed as he wrapped an arm around Tara's shoulder. Rick gave her another hug, he had his concerns but he was happy for the young couple.

"Let's celebrate!" Abraham announced as he produced a bottle of whiskey from his bag. He took a long drink before passing it to Tara, who took a big gulp of the liquor.

"Now we have the motivation to find a community that has doctors. We will work on that bus and as soon as it's done, we're going to be on the road so we can find a place where Maggie can safely have the baby." Rick announced to the group as they all nodded in agreement. They would do anything to make sure Maggie and the baby were safe.

The group spent the rest of the night talking about babies and possible baby names for the upcoming new member of their family. They were all genuinely happy about the news.

A couple of hours later, Tara was out on night watch with Rick. He knew that although she was happy about the situation, she was also worried about Maggie's safety.

"It's gonna be ok. We'll find a place. Maggie and the baby will be safe. I promise you that." Rick told her as she simply nodded her head.

"I just don't want her to end up like your wife...I'm sorry, Rick. I don't know what I would do without her." Tara confided as she held back the tears that threatened to come out.

"What happened to Lori won't happen to Maggie. We'll find a community. We'll leave in a couple of days, head north. We'll find something." Rick assured her, as he put his hand on her shoulder.

They were silent for the rest of the night until he finally told Tara to get some rest. Tara went inside the house, feeling her heart swell as she saw Maggie bundled up under the covers. Tara laid down as Maggie snuggled up onto her. She couldn't imagine loving anyone as much as she loved Maggie. She smiled as she saw the rings on her wife's finger, signaling that love.

Tara knew that without a doubt that she would do anything and everything to make sure that Maggie and their baby were safe, no matter what it took.

* * *

A/N: Another chapter is done! Hope y'all enjoyed it. Thank you once again for all the love and reviews. I appreciate all of you and would kiss you all if I could.

So I'm thinking about starting another story. I don't know if I want to torture myself by having 2 stories at once but this idea won't leave me alone. It would be Maggie/Tara of course. I like other couples but am only interested in writing about them right now. But anyways, this story would be pre-apocalypse and a different take on how they meet and have other characters of course. The whole apocalypse thing will probably happen during the story, but it will be a slow burn story which means it will take a while for them to get together. So yay or nay? Probably won't be out for 2-3 weeks while I tweak it and figure out where I'm going with it. Also these stories will keep me entertained after I graduate high school next month and wait for college to start. So yeah let me know what you think. Love y'all.


	10. The Reason

Over the next three days Rick, Daryl, Tara, and Abraham worked diligently on the bus engine to get it back into working order. They all worked hours on it, getting full of sweat and grease. They would curse and argue when someone thought one thing was wrong but someone else would disagree. Usually, the four would be able to settle these squabbles without too much disdain for each other.

Those arguments were rare though, usually they spent the hours talking about whatever came into their minds whether appropriate or not. Abraham and Tara would crack dirty jokes while Rick and Daryl would just laugh along. Or Abraham and Tara, making sure their significant others were no where around, would talk about their past conquests.

Finally, after the third day, the foursome's work was done as Abraham climbed into the driver's seat of the bus and turned the key. The engine roared to life as the small group cheered and gave each other high fives. Their bus was finally ready for the trip to Washington, DC. Now, they would be able to find a safe community for the family to settle down in and for Maggie to safely have the baby in a few months.

"We can leave tonight if y'all want to," Abraham suggested as he turned the bus on again to make sure it wasn't just a fluke and that the bus was really in working order. The group had been able to siphon a lot of gasoline that would last them a while for the trip.

"Nah...not tonight. Not with the way those clouds are lookin'. There's a bad storm a comin'. We don't need to be out in that," Daryl said as he looked at the grey clouds in the distance. Tara followed his gaze and saw the malicious looking dark clouds heading their way. Usually, Daryl was right about these things.

"Daryl's right. I wouldn't feel right riskin' driving through bad weather. Plus, this way Maggie gets to spend one last night sleeping in a bed. Who knows how long we'll go without that. Months maybe. Let her enjoy a peaceful night," Rick decided as he ran his hand through his ever growing beard.

"Somethin' tells me Maggie won't be getting much sleep tonight. Huh...Tara?" Abraham playfully jabbed his elbow into Tara's ribs as she just shook her head.

"Fuck off, Abe," Tara protested as Abraham put her in a brotherly headlock. They wrestled for a few minutes as Rick and Daryl looked on, snickering at them.

Carol, Rosita, and Maggie joined the group watching as Tara and Abraham continued to wrestle with each other. Carol had an amused look on her face as she watched the adults in front of her act like teenagers. These last couple of days had been good for the family. Everyone was in good spirits with the news of the upcoming new addition to their brood.

Maggie was slightly annoyed because no one wanted her to work too hard or do too much. Earlier, she was helping Sasha and Michonne pack up the bus when they insisted she rest after only putting a couple of boxes in the bus. Rosita and Carol always checked up on her every few minutes, asking if she needed any water or anything. Every thirty minutes, Tara would make sure she and the baby were okay.

Maggie smiled to herself as she remembered how Tara would take a few minutes from working on the engine to talk the baby. Tara was adamant that the baby would know her voice from the beginning. Also, Tara always put her hand on Maggie's stomach whenever she had a chance to, still amazed that a new life they created together was in there.

"Ok children! That's enough before y'all hurt yourselves!" Carol smacked both Tara and Abraham to get them to stop wrestling each other.

"Yes, mother!" Tara joked as she released Abraham from the headlock she had him in.

"Hey! Watch your tone with me, Tara. Or I'll be sure to spoil your kid relentlessly," Carol threatened as the others laughed.

"Oh please...she or he will already be spoiled by me. Especially if the little peanut is a clone of their mother. I can't even say no to Maggie," Tara retorted as Maggie just shook her head in amusement.

"God, you're so whipped," Abraham lamented as Tara just glared at him. She tried to think of a good way to get back at him, seeing that there wasn't any way to get out of this she just shrugged.

"Yeah, I probably am but it's only because I have the best wife in the world," Tara beamed as she took Maggie's hand into her own to place a soft kiss on it.

"Enough with the mushy stuff. You guys are nauseating," Rosita chimed in as went to stand by her boyfriend. Abraham wrapped an arm around her securely.

"She's only acting like that cuz Maggie's here. The women are all here and we lose our nuts all of a sudden. Way to let your bros down," Abraham playfully hit Tara's shoulder as he glanced jokingly to the others.

"No way, Abe! You know the sayin'. Bros before ho-" Tara immediately shut her mouth as all the women glared at her. Maggie crossed her arms across her chest, threatening Tara to finish her sentence.

"Yeah, if you want to live, I wouldn't finish that sentence," Rick grinned at the situation Tara had walked into. He and Abraham shared a laugh at Tara's expense. Daryl stepped back, wondering how Tara would get out of this one.

"No, let her finish that sentence. Let's see what happens," Carol narrowed her eyes at Tara. Tara took a few nervous steps back, holding her hands up in surrender.

"I have never thought of any of you ladies in that way...I swear!" Tara tried to dig herself out of the hole she had unknowingly put herself in because of Abraham.

"Now back in the day, I met some women who would qualify for that title. They were an easy lay obviously-" Tara rambled on, not knowing she should just stop talking.

"Tara! Shut up! You're just making it worse," Daryl cut in when he saw that his best friend was obviously nervous and couldn't shut up.

Tara immediately shut her mouth and gave Maggie her most charming smile, knowing that the girl was a sucker for her smile. Maggie couldn't stop the giggle that came out of her mouth.

"You're adorably hopeless, you know that?" Maggie laughed as she pulled Tara in for a quick peck on the lips.

"You got lucky with that one," Abraham grunted as Daryl nodded in agreement. Five women being mad at Tara would not have ended well for her at all.

"Ok kids...enough playtime. Here's the plan: first thing in the morning we hit the road to Washington, DC. The bus is fixed and will be our new home for who knows how long. So tonight just relax, enjoy yourselves. Be sure to take showers and get some get rest," Rick laid out the plan to everyone as they nodded their heads in agreement. All the members were ready and excited about the next chapter in their lives. Although, they were a bit apprehensive about the dangers they would be facing.

"This is a new journey for us. It will be long and hard but in the end it will be worth it," Carol told the group as she tried to add to Rick's motivation.

Tara laughed at Carol's little speech, "That's what she said," she grinned smugly. Carol smacked her on the shoulder as Tara just snickered at her joke.

"You're so immature at times," Carol laughed as she started to walk back to the house. Daryl gave Tara a fist bump as he followed Carol to the house.

As they were all walking to back to the house to enjoy a night of rest and relaxation, Rick took Maggie and Tara aside. Tara had her arm around Maggie's waist in a protective manner. Rick had to admit that they did make a cute couple, he was sure their kid would be a future heartbreaker.

"Y'all be sure to sleep in one of the bedrooms so Maggie can get some good rest. We might be on that bus for a long time," Rick instructed the couple as he took a look at the sky.

"Hopefully that storm isn't as bad as these clouds make it look," he said as he began to follow the others to the house. Tara watched Rick walk away as the wind started to pick up, signaling that the storm was on its way.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, lightening flashed in the clouds as the leaves in the trees rustled violently. Maggie moved closer to Tara as another loud crack of thunder was heard in the distance.

"What's wrong, baby? Scared of a little thunderstorm?" Tara asked with a bit of amusement as Maggie put her arms around Tara for a hug. She took in Tara's familiar, comforting scent which was mixed with grease from the bus engine.

"Actually, I hate thunderstorms. They scare me...always have since I was a kid," Maggie admitted as another rumble of thunder caused her to hold onto Tara tighter.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you from the thunderstorm. I'm sure I can find a way to take your mind off of it," Tara wiggled her eyebrows at Maggie as she gave her a suggestive smile. The couple had an awesome sex life as far as Tara was concerned. Of course, if she had her way she would take Maggie several times a day, but she doubted the other woman could keep up with her sexual appetite.

"I'm sure you will," Maggie laughed as she entwined her fingers with Tara's and led her to the safety of the house.

* * *

The roaring flames in the fire place gave the room a heated glow that made the atmosphere cozy and warm. The family was seated in the living area enjoying each other's company; they all took turns taking a shower. Tara joked around with Daryl and Abraham as they shared a couple of beers. Maggie talked with Rosita about the upcoming baby, the Hispanic woman was excited about being an aunt again. Thunder roared outside, but so far the storm hadn't hit them yet.

After a couple of hours, Rick told everyone to get to bed since they would have an early morning start. Tara and Maggie said their good nights to their friends as they prepared to head up to one of the bedrooms.

"A woman in your delicate condition shouldn't be going up and down the stairs," Tara told her wife. Maggie looked at her confused. Suddenly, Maggie let out a surprised yelp as Tara picked her up. Maggie laughed as she wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, giving her a small kiss.

"Get a room!" Sasha yelled at them as the group watched them with amused smiles on their faces.

"We're going!" Tara shouted back as she carried Maggie up the stairs and into one of the bedrooms. She gently laid Maggie down on the bed then went to close and lock the door.

"Get ready for bed," Maggie gave Tara a sly smile as she began to get undressed leaving only a skimpy shirt on with some black lace panties.

Tara immediately got the hint as she removed her flannel shirt and jeans, leaving on her black tank top and boxers as she climbed into the bed. Maggie snuggled up next to her, kissing her neck.

Suddenly, thunder clapped outside as it began to rain hard. Lightening flashed in the sky as the wind howled around the house. A panicked look came over Maggie's face as she snuggled Tara tighter. She felt Tara wrap her arms around her, helping her relax a bit.

"It's okay, baby. It's just a thunderstorm," Tara soothed as she ran her hands over Maggie's body. Tara gently lifted Maggie's chin so they made eye contact before she leaned in, colliding their lips together.

Tara ran her tongue over Maggie's lips, wanting access. Maggie granted Tara her wish, as Tara tasted her, wanting more. Maggie bit softly at Tara's bottom lip, earning a growl from the other woman. They shared lustful kiss after kiss as the thunderstorm became the last thing on Maggie's mind.

Maggie's arm around Tara's waist slipped under Tara's shirt, feeling around to palm at her abs, tracing the muscles with the edge of her fingertips. It sent a wave of goosebumps along Tara's skin.

Maggie gave her a small smirk before she went down Tara's body, placing soft kisses on her skin. Looking Tara straight in the eyes, Maggie lifted the hem of her own shirt and threw it on the floor. Tara couldn't help but stare at the perfect breasts in front of her.

Tara reached out to touch her, but Maggie gently pushed her back down onto the bed. "Not yet..." She whispered as she slowly started to rub Tara's already hardening dick through her boxers.

Slowly, torturously slow for Tara, Maggie pulled the boxers down as Tara's dick sprung free from its restraints. Maggie smirked, looking intently at Tara, she slowly started to rub the hard dick up and down between her breasts.

Tara let her head hit the headboard as she took in the sight before her. She swore there was nothing hotter than Maggie's breasts rubbing against her swollen cock.

Suddenly, Maggie stopped what she was doing, coming at eye level with Tara's very aroused member. She slowly leaned down, pulling the head of Tara's cock between her lips circling her tongue around the tip.

Tara's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she gripped at the bed sheets. Maggie pulled back, releasing her cock again, sending shivers up Tara's spine from the air that puffed against it.

Tara moaned, jaw dropping as she took in the look Maggie gave her crotch. It was pure hunger and arousal that played across Maggie's face and those green eyes gleamed when that look caused Tara's dick to twitch in anticipation.

"You just love this," Maggie murmured almost in a trance staring down at Tara's rock hard dick, that was begging for attention.

"I'd say the same for you," Tara panted. Maggie looked up, shrugged, and smirked. Then those lips were around her again as Maggie took her full length in one bob of her head. Tara felt her tip hit the back of Maggie's throat and gasped.

Maggie pulled her head back, her tongue broadly stroking the underside of Tara's cock. The warm, tight wetness of Maggie's mouth had that coil starting to tighten again and Tara knew she wouldn't last long from all the teasing and dirty talk. She was too turned on to really care.

Maggie hummed around her, continuing to pull back until just her tip was resting inside. A tongue flicked at it roughly, circled it and then those lips popped off. Tara's eyes rolled again and her head fell back when warm breath covered her saliva slicked dick.

"Ugh, fuck, Maggie! What has gotten into you?" Tara asked pulling her head back up to look down at Maggie again.

"You," Maggie smirked licking at the length of her and sucking at the head again.

"Besides, I've been wanting to do this all day. Watching you work on that bus today got me all hot and bothered," Maggie flicked Tara again with her tongue.

Before Tara could comment, Maggie was sucking down all of her and again she was probing at the back of Maggie's throat. Maggie hummed in content and the vibrations shot sparks of pleasure that ran rampant throughout Tara's body.

Tara's hips jerked without her control, driving her deeper down Maggie's throat. Oh God! That felt amazing but she could see a tear well up in the corner of Maggie's eyes and immediately dropped her hips back as far into the mattress as she could.

Maggie pulled back, Tara's cock springing free again with a wet pop. A string of saliva pulled from her dick to Maggie's lips and it was the hottest thing Tara had ever seen.

Maggie took in a few deep breaths which snapped Tara out of her daze, "Shit, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" she reached up and cupped Maggie's cheek, thumb brushing away the couple of tears pooled at her eyes.

"I'm perfect. That was so hot," Maggie answered with a shy smile.

Tara furrowed her brow in confusion, "What? Me chocking you?"

Maggie shook her head no, "Me chocking on you," When it was said that way Tara had to agree.

Maggie must have sensed her agreement because she was sucking in Tara's dick again and bobbing up and down without abandon. Her hand went from Maggie's cheek to gripping at light brown hair, holding on for dear life.

Tara felt her body convulse and the pressure inside snapped and began spilling out of her. Spots danced behind her eyes as she curled in on herself. She watched as Maggie held to the base of her cock, lips wrapped around the head, and swallowed as quickly as she could.

Tara's hips finally stopped jerking but Maggie licked and sucked a few more times causing her body to tremble in aftershocks. Maggie pulled back and licked at her lips with a satisfied smile.

Tara released the back of Maggie's head and ran her fingers down from her temple until she was cupping Maggie's cheek. She reached out with her thumb and wiped away some of her cum that dribbled down Maggie's chin.

"I need you," Maggie whispered against her, another hand coming up to grope at Tara's dick which was already getting hard again. She leaned to kiss Tara, biting hard at her lip.

"Tell me what you want, Maggie," Tara breathed, wrapping her arm around Maggie's waist and groping at a full round ass cheek. She moaned as their hips came flush together and heat spread between them.

Maggie kissed her rougher, biting at her lower lip and sucking it between her own. Tara moaned as Maggie pulled back, her lip popping free.

"I need you to fuck me from behind," Maggie demanded. The visual of Maggie on her knees begging for her was so powerful Tara hadn't realized she'd already climbed to her knees.

Maggie sat up just as quickly and kissed her one more time with a soft smile, "I love you."

"I love you too. Now on your knees," Tara ordered, her body full of anticipation of what was going to transpire. She reached down and stroked herself to full length while Maggie positioned herself into place.

Tara scooted forward on her knees until she was flush behind her lover. She reached out, running her fingers through Maggie's soaking folds, collecting the wetness on her fingers and rubbing it along herself.

"You're so wet for me, babe," Tara gasped as she reached out and pulled Maggie closer to her. This was her favorite position to take Maggie in. To see Maggie present herself and beg for her; it was always a sight that sent her into a frenzy.

Tara could already feel herself lose control as the animalistic side of her threatened to take over. She wanted Maggie and she wanted her now. Tara thrusted forward, burying herself fully into her lover and sighing at the perfect, wet heat that surrounded her completely.

Tara gripped at Maggie's hips and pulled out until just her tip was buried in. Maggie whined at the loss and pushed herself against Tara, trying to force her in again.

That was the only sign Tara needed to let loose and fuck Maggie senseless. She thrust forward, jolting them both with her force as she picked up a medium speed, focusing on going deep into Maggie and filling her.

Maggie reached up, bracing herself against the headboard and thrust her hips back into Tara. Wet slaps filled the room along with Tara's grunts and Maggie's moans. She wanted more and she knew Maggie did as well.

Tara pulled back, fully slipping out from between her lover's thighs. Maggie's whine of displeasure was immediate as Tara slid off the bed.

Tara reached for Maggie's legs and pulled, dragging her lover to the edge of the bed where she positioned her face down and legs spread. Tara wasted no time, she penetrated Maggie roughly, filling her completely. Now that she was standing behind Maggie, she was able to thrust with more strength and more speed.

"Oh fuck...Tara!" Maggie screamed, fingers gripping tightly at the sheets. Maggie turned her head to the side to be able to breath and gasp better, brown hair spilling around her face like a halo. Tara gripped the edge of the bed so she wouldn't bruise Maggie's thighs. She worked her hips faster, pounding into Maggie and filling her completely with each thrust.

"You're mine, Maggie," Tara groaned, feeling the hot walls pulse around her hard dick as Maggie came closer and closer to tipping off the edge of bliss.

"Yes, Tara, yours," Maggie gasped, holding tightly to the bed as Tara drove into her with such force that the headboard was now banging into the wall.

Tara leaned forward, feeling herself so close to spilling inside of Maggie. She bit down hard on Maggie's neck, claiming her. Warm liquid gushed between them as Maggie's back arched and a scream of pleasure tore from Maggie's lips.

Tara thrust a few more times, the tightness from Maggie pulling her over the edge. Her hips jerked and her breath caught in her chest from the roughness of her orgasm. Her arms gave out, and she laid as gently as she could over Maggie. As soon as she could move, she pulled out and slid to rest beside her lover's limp form.

"You okay?" Tara reached over, running her fingers down Maggie's spine.

"I'm perfect," Maggie hummed with a lazy smile. Tara couldn't help chuckling at her sated lover. Seemed like she was able to wear Maggie out.

Unfortunately, Tara still wasn't completely satisfied. The animalistic nature in her was creeping up and she could feel it start to take over. Tara tried to fight for some control, knowing what her body was about to do. She wasn't sure Maggie could handle her right now. Unfortunately, she felt her resolve diminish with each passing second.

Tara had no control over her body, the beast within her was about to be unleashed. She felt her cock grow harder with each second that passed. Her consciousness slipped and then she was pushing at limp thighs, until they were spread as far as they would go. In one motion, she settled between Maggie's legs and thrust all the way in.

Maggie's head tossed back on the pillow as she cried out from the sudden intrusion. Long fingers snapped up and dug into Tara's shoulders, nails pinching through a layer of skin.

Tara gripped at the mattress on either side of Maggie's chest as she pulled her hips back to drive them back down. This time she couldn't hold back from strength or speed.

Tara pounded down into Maggie, she needed to find release and fill Maggie to the brim. Tara grit her teeth, feeling herself on the edge of glory. Maggie whimpered beneath her, holding onto her shoulders as Tara drove them to the brink of insanity with fast, hard thrusts.

Tara didn't hear as Maggie tried to form the words to ask her to slow down or to be softer, nor did she hear the headboard slamming into the wall with every hard thrust Tara produced.

The only thing that could form in Tara's mind was that she was going to make Maggie hers and only hers. She would prove that until her body no longer could move.

That ball of tightness exploded inside and erupted out to fill Maggie with Tara's cum. Tara kept cumming until Maggie was coated on the inside, cum spurting out from between them and pooling on the sheets beneath.

Maggie panted, eyes still clenched shut as her walls convulsed around Tara's twitching member. Tara leaned down, resting her nose at the crook of Maggie's neck. She took a deep breath and hummed in content at the smell of sexual satisfaction that littered Maggie's skin. Tara could smell the sweat and their combined sated arousal. Tara nuzzled her nose into her lover's neck and sighed as reason settled back into her mind again.

"What was that?" Maggie asked as she gasped for air. Tara placed soft kisses on Maggie's neck, smirking when she saw the love bite that she had left. Suddenly, she realized she may have been a little too rough with Maggie.

"Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Tara asked with concern as she slowly pulled out of Maggie, rolling off of her so the other woman could snuggle into her. Tara brought the blanket over them, as Maggie rested her head on her chest. Maggie could feel how fast Tara's heart was beating, still coming down from the high.

"That last go, you kinda hurt me a bit," Maggie admitted as she placed a gentle kiss on Tara's skin.

"I'm sorry, babe. I don't know what got into me. I just needed you so bad," Tara sighed, she hated being the reason Maggie hurt, no matter the circumstance. She needed to learn to control her urges better so her wife wouldn't get hurt like that in the future.

"It's ok, I promise. I know you didn't mean it," Maggie leaned up to give Tara a soft kiss before snuggling into her again, feeling her tiredness get the best of her.

"Hey, before you get all comfy, let's switch sides so I'm closest to the door. I know it's weird but it'll help me sleep better," Tara requested as Maggie moved over her to change positions. She quickly resumed snuggling into Tara's side.

"How does that help you sleep better?" Maggie asked curiously, sleep threatening to take over her tired body.

"Because if anything or anyone comes through that door, they would have to get through me before they got to you and we both know that I wouldn't let anything happen to you and little peanut," Tara explained as she felt Maggie cuddle more into her.

"You're so cute when you're protective of us. I love you so much," Maggie whispered as she closed her eyes to sleep. She rested her head on Tara's chest, letting the rhythm of Tara's heartbeat lull her into a restful slumber.

"I love you too. Get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow," Tara held onto Maggie tight as she felt her wife fall asleep, her breathing evening out.

Tara closed her eyes, keeping a protective hold on Maggie as she slowly fell asleep. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a new journey for the both of them. The world was steadily unstable around them, but the lovers knew they would always have each other and that was enough to give them hope for something more.

* * *

The next morning, everyone was up early and ready to hit the road. Rick and Abraham decided to take turns driving the bus. Tara offered to be added to the rotation in case they got too tired. Washington, DC was a long way away, especially when they didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

The bus was packed as they steadily boarded the vehicle, looking around one last time at the house they had lived in for the last few weeks. Tara was sad to say goodbye to her Camaro as it stood in the driveway, but finding a sanctuary for the growing family was more important.

Rick made sure everyone was boarded on the bus before he took a seat in the front, holding the map as he gave some directions to Abraham. The red headed man started the vehicle, smiling to himself as the engine roared to life.

"Let's get the fuck out of here. Let the adventure begin!" Abraham yelled at the rest of his friends as he put the bus in drive and started going down the road Rick directed to him.

The young married couple was seated in the back, Tara had her back to the wall of the bus as Maggie was seated between her legs. Tara had her arms wrapped around Maggie, gripping her close. Maggie had a blanket draped over her legs since the day was still cool and some of the windows were open, letting cold air drape the inside of the bus.

Rosita sat down in the seat in front of them, turning she faced the young couple who were content in each other's arms. The Hispanic woman had to admit that they did look cute together.

"Even on the bus y'all can't keep your hands off of each other," Rosita laughed as Maggie smiled in response. She was used to all the teasing the group did to her and Tara. She knew it was all in good fun though.

"Just think Rosita, you could have had all of this," Tara joked as Rosita just shook her head.

"Yeah, no thanks. I'm good with just being your kid's aunt," Rosita was excited about Maggie and Tara's baby. Of course she loved Judith to death, but with this upcoming baby she would get to be there from the beginning. Rosita always thought newborn babies were the cutest and she had no doubt this one would be adorably cute.

Tara instinctively placed her hand on Maggie's stomach, knowing that the little peanut was in there. She couldn't wait to meet her child, knowing it would be one of the best days of her life.

"So do y'all want a boy or a girl?" Rosita asked, she was secretly hoping for another girl.

"Hmmm...I'm not sure. I want to say boy so I can teach him about cars and play football with him but I can do that with a girl too. As long as she isn't all girlie but knowing my luck she will be," Tara laughed, although the prospect of having a little princess running around didn't seem too bad.

"It doesn't matter to me. Either way they're gonna to be loved and cherished," Maggie beamed, she couldn't wait to become a mother. It was something she never knew she could want so bad.

"You guys are disgustingly cute," Rosita chuckled as she leaned over to give them both a kiss on the forehead before she went to keep Abraham company.

Maggie and Tara sat in comfortable silence as they watched the scenery pass them by. Tara kept her hand on Maggie's abdomen, she couldn't wait until the baby started kicking. She wasn't sure exactly when that would happen. She didn't remember when it happened when Lily was pregnant with Meghan.

Tara decided that if they ran into a bookstore she would get a few baby books just to be prepared. Plus, she could always ask Rick for help, she was sure she was going to need all the parenting advice she could get.

Tara felt Maggie sigh contently against her. She looked around the bus to see that everyone was either occupied or taking a nap. Daryl was laid out on a bus seat, arm over his face as he tried to get some extra sleep. Tara decided now was the time to ask Maggie about something that had been on her mind over that last few days.

"You're happy to be having my kid, aren't you? Like truly happy? I mean you missed out on having kids with Glenn, and I know I was the second best option to give you what you wanted. I know y'all were looking forward to starting a family together. I guess, I just want to know that you're truly happy with me and not just being resourceful. And I guess I feel a bit guilty about enjoying all the things Glenn isn't here to enjoy," Tara confided as Maggie sat up slightly to look at her.

This must have been really bothering Tara for her to talk about it. Tara was usually one to keep her feelings to herself. Maggie looked into Tara's dark eyes, seeing some insecurity within them. That was something she rarely saw in Tara, the other woman was usually very confident in her abilities.

"You aren't second best. You make me happier than I have ever been, and having your baby just makes my life complete. Glenn will always have a place in my heart like he will in yours. And there is no doubt that I did love him but I didn't just fall for you to be resourceful. I have always felt something for you from the beginning," Maggie took Tara's hand in hers, leaning back to give her a soft kiss before continuing.

"I felt a spark the first time I hugged you in that tunnel. I just didn't understand what it was but I knew you were important to me. I think Glenn had an idea that what I felt for you was more than friendship. Of course, we wouldn't have done anything to hurt him," Maggie felt Tara nod her head in agreement. She knew how important Glenn had been to Tara, and would never have wanted to be the reason why they couldn't have been friends.

"I think I knew for sure that one night when we found out Eugene's cure was a bust. I remember how you comforted me, and at that moment I knew. I just kept it to myself because I loved Glenn. I buried my feelings and it took a while after his death before I allowed them to resurface but they were always there," Maggie explained as she delicately ran her fingers up and down Tara's arm.

Tara remembered that night well. It was a memory she would never forget. That was the moment she knew that no matter how many women she bedded, nothing would fill the void that Maggie had left in her heart.

"I just hoped that one day, we would find another group or settlement so you could find a girlfriend and be happy. Although, I would have hated to see you with someone else, and not have any time for me," Maggie admitted as she felt Tara laugh against her.

"No matter how many women I would have ended up with, I would have always made time to you. If the girl couldn't deal, then well, she would have been shown the door," Tara told her as she placed a soft kiss on Maggie's head. This talk made her feel a lot more better and secure about everything.

"I love you so much. I don't think I could ever be with anyone else if something happened to you," Maggie admitted as she nestled into Tara's arms, pulling the blanket over them.

"I love you too, baby. You're my everything. And don't worry, if anything happens to me, you'll have little peanut. That way you aren't alone...I wouldn't want you to be alone," Tara responded as she tugged Maggie as close as she could to her body. God, she was so lucky to have this woman in her arms and to call her hers.

Tara felt Maggie start to fall asleep against her, the pregnancy really wore her poor wife out. She took a nap whenever she was able to. Tara placed her hand on Maggie's stomach, making sure the little peanut knew she was there also.

Tara looked out the window, watching the endless trees pass the bus by as they drove down the road at a respectable speed. She let her mind wander to that night, to the moment where she realized for sure that she was falling for Maggie. When they had first met, she felt a spark as Maggie hugged her. Never before had she seen such a beautiful angel and she knew from that moment that she was a goner. Tara allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts...

* * *

_The group had just fled the hell of Terminus despite Rick's pleas that they should go back and finish the job. Tara personally agreed with Rick, but it was a losing battle as Sasha sat grieving the loss of her boyfriend. Tyreese was trying to comfort his sister as best as he could but there was nothing he could do to quell her pain._

_Tara hung back as there were some happy reunions between some of the members, feeling out of place in this new family dynamic. Plus, she knew Rick recognized her from the prison standoff and she was waiting for his confrontation. Later, Rick came up to tell her how Glenn had said that she helped save his life, and for that, her part in the prison raid would be forgiven._

_Tara was grateful for the Rick's forgiveness but she knew she would have to tell Maggie at some point, especially since the other woman kept trying to get to know her better. She liked Maggie a lot and didn't want to lose her as a friend. Tara distanced herself from the group, staying in the back as they traveled in a pack._

_Maggie kept trying to talk to her, and she would try to resist the girl's irresistible smile. Tara would offer up little information about herself, she didn't want to get to close to Maggie. Tara knew when Maggie found out about her part in the prison standoff that she would hate her. Tara had already lost everything, she didn't want to get close to Maggie just to lose her too._

_The group made it to an abandoned building where Abraham was able to talk Rick into helping escort Eugene to Washington, DC so he could create the cure for whatever disease had disabled humanity. They were all set to go, they even had a small bus ready for the trip. Then suddenly, Carol and Daryl were no where to be found and Carl became sick with some sort of stomach bug. They waited for a day or two, still no Carol or Daryl._

_Carl became worse with each passing hour. He was throwing up every few minutes and couldn't keep anything down. He needed medicine and fast. Unfortunately for them, the only place that had medicine was a old hospital a few miles away. The abandoned building was overrun with hundreds of walkers._

_Rick was adamant that he couldn't leave without his people and his son was deathly ill. Abraham was adamant about leaving since he felt they had already wasted too much time. The two men argued over the issue, Rick pleading with Abraham to help him go to the hospital to get the medicine. Glenn and Tara had offered to help Rick with his mission, he just needed Abraham's help to get past all those walkers._

_"Maybe when we get back, Carol and Daryl will be back," Rick yelled at Abraham, trying to get the stubborn man to see his side of the issue and that his son's life was at stake._

_Abraham just shook his head, "It's a risk I can't take. What if something happens to Eugene while I'm gone? That man holds the cure to save the human race."_

_"You ain't takin' that fuckin' bus," Rick relented, if Abraham's group wanted to leave, fine. He could do this without the soldier's help. He had Glenn and Tara after all. Rick knew he could take Michonne or Maggie also but he felt the less people he had to risk the better._

_"Try and stop me," Abraham threatened as he stepped up to Rick. Rick wasn't going to back down so fast. Tara knew if she didn't do something quick then a brawl would break out and she couldn't let that happen. She knew Rick needed Abraham to get that medicine for Carl._

_Tara quickly grabbed Abraham, holding him back from striking Rick, "Listen! If you stay and help get Carl's medicine, I'll go with you to Washington. No matter what happens," she promised._

_Glenn and Maggie gave her a look, both seemingly pleading with her to take back the offer. She ignored their stares as Abraham seemed to consider the offer. He ended up agreeing only if Maggie and Glenn came also. They readily agreed if it meant Abraham would help secure the medicine for Carl. Tara was secretly glad that she wouldn't be separated from Glenn and Maggie._

_So later that afternoon, Rick, Glenn, Tara, and Abraham made the journey to the hospital to get the medicine for Carl. It took them a few hours to get to their destination which was crawling with walkers. They secured a plan to distract the walkers with a flare gun so they could sneak in._

_Once inside, they were able to get the medicine after searching room after room. Tara had somehow managed to trip on a cord and hurt her knee while killing some walkers. A few live walkers had fallen on top of her but she managed to get out of that predicament without getting bitten or scratched. Glenn made a fuss over her, looking her over to make sure she was okay. Finally, after being in the hospital and killing countless of walkers, they were able to get out and head back to the others._

_Rick hoped Carol and Daryl would be back when they got there. He knew Abraham would be leaving as soon as they arrived. Unfortunately, no Carol or Daryl. So with heavy hearts, Maggie and Glenn prepared to be separated from their family again. Tara felt horrible about bringing them into the situation._

_Abraham gave Rick a map outlining the route they would be taking so Rick could follow it after the other two came back and Carl felt better. They shook hands and Abraham climbed onto the bus, ready to take off._

_Maggie, Glenn, Rosita, Tara, and Eugene waved goodbye to the remaining members as Abraham drove down the road heading north. The bus ride was uneventful for the most part. Tara spent most of her time talking to Eugene about video games, and cracking a few jokes here and there. They had been on the road for a couple of days when they ran into a big problem._

_Hundreds, maybe thousands of walkers were blocking the road ahead. There was no way they would be able to keep on going. Abraham was adamant about going ahead, even though the others argued that it was suicide. There was no way the vehicle would make it through that many walkers._

_"We've been taking detour after detour since Houston. I'm sick of this fuckin' shit! We're going ahead!" Abraham roughly grabbed Eugene to force him back onto the bus. Tara yelled at Abraham, telling him she wasn't going to risk her life or the others for his stupidity. He stretched to his full height trying to intimidate her. Tara responded by stepping up to him, ready to fight him if necessary. That was when Eugene dropped the bombshell he had been hiding all this time._

_"I'm not a scientist! I'm not a scientist! I lied!" Eugene shouted, as they all looked at him in disbelief. He told them how he had deducted that Washington, DC, would be the best bet for survival. Eugene explained how he wasn't equipped to protect himself so he figured if he tricked some people into getting him to Washington, DC, he would be helping them also._

_Tara was pissed and saddened by the news, she had been holding onto hope that they would be able to save the human race. With all the adrenaline flowing through her body from her argument with Abraham, she punched the bus, hard. Tara knew she probably injured her hand, but she didn't care._

_Tara tried to calm down when she saw that Maggie had took a few startled steps away from her, she didn't want to scare the girl. Abraham was so mad, he punched Eugene knocking him out cold before he sat in the middle of the road, still in disbelief._

_Glenn decided that they would go back to Rick's group once Eugene woke up. They couldn't move him though for fear of making his injury worse. Rosita, Glenn, and Tara went on a water run while Maggie watched over Eugene and Abraham. Tara felt uneasy leaving Maggie behind but she figured the other woman could handle things._

_During their run, Tara tried to hide the pain that was radiating in her hand. Rosita had tried to look at it, but Tara waved her off, saying it wasn't serious at all. Tara tried to liven the mood up by making a few jokes but her friends didn't seem in the mood. At least she had found a yo-yo to keep herself entertained._

_Later that evening, Abraham came out of whatever trance he had been in. Eugene was still out cold as they waited for him to wake up. So Glenn, Rosita, and Abraham decided to see if they could find anything to eat. Plus, Abraham needed to get away from everything for a little while._

_"Take care of things around here," Glenn said as Tara gave him a fist bump._

_"I will," Tara promised as she watched her three friends walk away from the bus. Maggie leaned against the bus next to her, watching until their friends were out of sight._

_The sky started to darken a bit as Tara checked on Eugene, seeing that he was still passed out. She resumed her spot next to Maggie, leaning against the bus. Tara rolled her hand into a fist a few times, trying to see how badly it was injured._

_"Is your hand ok? I know you punched the bus pretty hard," Maggie took her injured hand, inspecting it to see if anything was broken. Satisfied that nothing was out of place, and it was just going to bruise she let Tara take her hand back._

_"It's fine. It didn't even hurt much," Tara lied as she rubbed her hand a few times._

_"You know there are other ways to solve things than getting angry. Right?" Maggie inquired as she watched Tara._

_"I know. I just have an anger problem sometimes. Sometimes it gets the best of me," Tara admitted as she felt Maggie's intense stare. They stood in silence for a few minutes as Maggie inched closer to Tara so that their shoulders were touching._

_Maggie turned to look at her, smiling, "I'm glad you're here with me. I have a feeling we're going to be really great friends," she took Tara's uninjured hand into her own._

_Tara felt a jolt of electricity as she felt Maggie's touch. She immediately felt guilty because Maggie had no idea about her involvement in the prison raid which ultimately led to the death of Hershel. Tara decided now would be a good time to tell Maggie the truth. Maggie deserved to know who the person next to her really was._

_"You might be thinking differently about me after I tell you what I need to tell you," Tara looked Maggie in the eyes as she pulled her hand away._

_Maggie got a confused look on her face, "Tell me what?"_

_Tara sighed heavily, "I didn't meet Glenn on the road. I was at the prison with the Governor or Brian or whatever the fuck his name was. I was there to fight you guys. Brian said y'all were bad guys, and I didn't know who any of y'all were. I just wanted to make sure my family was protected and safe. And then he killed your father, and I couldn't go through with it. I just didn't want it to be hidden from you."_

_Tara looked at Maggie, trying to see what she was feeling. She felt guilt wash over her as she saw tears in Maggie's eyes start to fall out. Tara reached out to hug Maggie, but was roughly pushed back._

_"You were there when my father was murdered in front of me?" Maggie sobbed as she pushed Tara back again. Maggie cried as she punched Tara on the shoulder a few times. Tara let Maggie hit her, knowing she deserved it._

_"You were there when he cut my father's head off? When I lost Beth? I don't even know where she is!" Maggie wept, tears falling down her face. Tara reached for her, wanting to comfort her. Maggie responded by pushing Tara backwards, then she surprised them both when she slapped Tara on the cheek. Hard._

_Tara brought her hand to her cheek, feeling the sting from Maggie's slap. She tried to control her natural instinct to getting attacked which was to get angry. She knew Maggie was experiencing so many emotions right now and she couldn't blame her for lashing out._

_Maggie sobbed and sobbed, still attacking her friend, until Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie. She was easily able to overpower Maggie, as she felt the other woman surrender into her embrace. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara's neck as she used the other woman for support. Tara leaned against the bus so she could hold Maggie close, feeling her tears soak into her shirt._

_"I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I'm so sorry for all the pain I put you through. I never meant to do all those things to you. I would give my life up to make it up to you," Tara apologized, feeling Maggie's body trembling with sobs. Tara wished she could take all the pain away, the hurt she caused Maggie would be something she would have to live with everyday. Maggie cried on her for a long time, Tara held her close trying to comfort her._

_"You're a good person, Tara. You helped Glenn and you helped with Carl's medicine even though that almost got you killed. You're one of us now, and you're a part of me now," Maggie leaned back slightly to look into Tara's dark eyes, "I know you would never hurt us. I forgive you. You're here with us now. With me."_

_Tara breathed a sigh of relief at Maggie's forgiveness. Maggie leaned back into Tara, inhaling her scent as she burrowed her face into Tara's neck. Tara held her tight, loving the feel of having a woman in her arms again even if it was only temporary. Tara froze when she felt lips softly graze her neck, she ignored it. Tara guessed it was just a fluke or her wishful thinking._

_Maggie leaned back to look at Tara, her eyes red from all the tears. It broke Tara's heart seeing Maggie in that state and knowing she was the reason. Maggie placed her hand on Tara's cheek, that was red from the slap she had delivered earlier._

_"I'm so sorry I slapped you. I don't know what got into me," Maggie gently placed a soft kiss on Tara's cheek._

_"It's alright. No need to apologize, you were just expressing your feelings," Tara knew she deserved that slap and probably a lot more._

_Tara held Maggie until the others came back, feeling a bit guilty when she saw Glenn. Maggie gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek as she went to join Glenn and Rosita, who had found some canned food._

_Tara watched Maggie walk away, knowing she was in trouble. She was in love with the other woman. She had a feeling she felt something for Maggie, the events that just transpired drove away any doubts. Tara realized she found her reason to live again. After the deaths of her family, she didn't care much about her life, but the reason to care again was standing right in front of her._

_Tara found a reason to change who she used to be, she found a reason to start over new. And that reason was Maggie. Even if she would never get to be with Maggie, just having her in her life was enough for Tara._

_Maggie turned to Tara, giving her a beautiful smile. Yes, Maggie would be the reason for everything now. Tara joined the group, playfully punching Glenn in the shoulder as they made plans to rejoin Rick's group as soon as Eugene woke up._

* * *

Tara was jostled out of her thoughts by the bus running over something on the road. The darkness of night had already descended on them making it hard to see out the windows. She felt Maggie jolt awake against her.

"Fuck!" Abraham cursed as he steered the bus to the side of the road, he hit the steering wheel cursing to himself.

"What the hell was that?" Rick asked as he handed a crying Judith to Michonne, getting his gun ready so he could go out to inspect the damage. Tara immediately got up, giving Maggie a quick kiss before she went to the front of the bus. Daryl immediately joined the small group at the front. All of them had their weapons ready as they climbed off the bus to inspect the tires.

"Well, motherfucker," Abraham bent down, inspecting the front left tire. He pulled something from the tire that had long medal barbs.

"A spike strip," Tara observed as she reached for her gun, she looked around waiting for some kind of ambush. Nothing came.

"This might have been done deliberately or maybe just some kind of fluke. Right now, we're vulnerable until we get a new tire." Rick shook his head, also looking around in the woods. He swore if anyone tried to hurt his family, he would kill them with no regrets.

"So whaddo we do now? It's too dangerous to go out into the woods or walk right now. Whoever did this could be waitin' for us," Daryl expressed his concerns as he looked at the shattered tire. Shit always seemed to happen to them, they could never get a break.

"Daryl and I can get a new tire. We know for sure there is an abandoned bus down the road from the house we stayed at. We can drive back here in the Camaro, should take just a couple of hours to get back if I drive fast enough. The real trip will be getting there," Tara suggested as Rick thought over the plan.

"Yeah, she does drive crazy fast," Daryl agreed knowing that Tara could make a six hour drive turn into a two hour one if she really wanted to.

Rick went over the plan in his head. They hadn't seen any towns or buses so far on the trip. He didn't want the group to be separated but they also couldn't make the rest of the way just walking. Most vehicles they had passed were unreliable at best. Plus, he didn't want Maggie to be walking so much or be unprotected from the elements in her condition.

"Fine. I hate being separated from y'all but looks like we have no choice. But y'all aren't leaving until mornin', it's too dangerous right now. We'll spend the night on the bus, if you see anyone shoot to kill. Ask questions later," Rick ordered as his three friends nodded in agreement.

Rick and Abraham went back into the bus to explain the situation to the others. Tara and Daryl did a perimeter check around the bus to make sure no one was around or spying on them.

"You ready to run tomorrow?" Daryl asked, knowing that they would be running for hours tomorrow to get to that abandoned bus as quickly as possible. He knew they both didn't want to be separated from the group, but they had a job to do.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Good thing I did track in high school," Tara laughed. Daryl offered her a smoke which she gladly accepted. Just as they finished and flicked the cigarette butts away, Rick came out.

"Get on the bus and try to get some sleep. Y'all have a long day tomorrow," Rick patted them on the back as they boarded the bus. Tara went to rejoin Maggie, who was waiting for her with a sad look on her face. Tara sat down with her back against the wall, holding her arms out to her wife.

"You have to leave tomorrow?" Maggie asked as she cuddled against Tara. She hated the thought of being separated from Tara, especially after what had happened the last time.

"I'll be as quick as I can be. I'll be back before you know it," Tara promised as she leaned down to give Maggie a kiss of reassurance.

Maggie wanted to feel Tara in that moment. She wanted to forget about Tara leaving tomorrow, she needed to forget. Maggie turned to Tara, gently she started to rub on Tara's crotch, getting her hard.

"What are you doing? Everyone's just a few feet away," Tara whispered as she felt Maggie start to unzip her jeans. She felt her will power crumble as she felt Maggie's warm hand on her growing erection.

"Then we should be really quiet then," Maggie responded as she bent down to take Tara into her mouth. Tara ran her hands through Maggie's hair as she bit down on her lip to keep quiet. She felt Maggie's tongue swirl around her tip, taking her in as deep as she could go. Tara thrust her hips gently against Maggie's face as she held her head in place.

Tara knew she was on the edge, she could feel that familiar burn as Maggie worked that talented tongue on her cock. Suddenly, Tara knew there was no holding back, she held Maggie's head as she came into her mouth. Maggie swallowed greedily, as cum spurted into her mouth. Tara, meanwhile, gritted her teeth together to keep from making any noise as Maggie sucked every drop out of her.

Tara looked around, no one had moved from their previous position. She guessed they still had no clue what was going on in the back of the bus.

"I want you inside me," Maggie whispered as she quietly lowered her jeans. She climbed into Tara's lap, her face snuggled into Tara's neck. Tara threw the blanket over them, to people looking at them from the front of the bus, it would look like Maggie was snuggling into Tara.

Maggie slowly lowered herself onto Tara's pulsing cock, they both groaned softly as the sensations took over their bodies. Tara softly thrusted her hips up, feeling Maggie from the inside. Maggie burrowed her face into Tara's shoulder as she moaned quietly into her ear with every thrust Tara took.

Tara knew she was close to coming, as she felt that twitch in her body. She quickened her pace just a bit as she felt Maggie start to convulse around her cock. Maggie bit down on Tara's neck as her orgasm ripped through her. Tara felt a warm gush of juices coat her already slick cock. Feeling the sensation sent Tara overboard as she felt herself burst inside of Maggie.

Maggie felt Tara's body shake as she came deep inside of her. Maggie felt the warm explosion as Tara gripped her tightly, her fingers digging roughly into her skin as she tried to stay quiet. Maggie reveled in the feeling of Tara's cum inside of her, she loved the feeling of Tara coming in her. It felt like a whole other level of intimacy that she craved.

Tara roughly kissed Maggie, letting her tongue slide into the other woman's mouth. They made out passionately until they had to pull back for air.

"I love you so much," Maggie whispered as she felt the small kisses that Tara was placing on her neck.

"I love you too, baby. I've been in love with you forever. It just took me awhile to find you," she heard Tara whisper softly in her ear. Maggie smiled at Tara's words. Tara could be quite the romantic when she wanted to be. She was happy that she was the only one who saw that side of Tara.

"We should make ourselves decent before we get caught in a compromising position," Tara suggested as she slowly pulled out of Maggie. Maggie immediately whined at the loss she felt.

They both quietly got dressed and resumed their seating positions with Tara's back against the wall, Maggie sitting contently between her legs. Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie as they sat in comfortable silence.

"You better be careful," Maggie said looking into those brown eyes that she loved so much. She wished she could beg Tara to stay but knew she had a job to do. Tara always took the safety and well being of the group seriously.

"I always am, babe," Tara winked at her, giving her that trademark smile she loved also. Maggie gently kissed the tattoo on Tara's arm, another thing she loved about Tara.

Tara smiled, "One day I'm going to get your name tattooed on me. One day."

"Well, I won't argue if you want to get some more tattoos. They look hot on you," she felt Tara laugh against her, loving the feeling. Maggie nestled into her, wanting to hear Tara's heartbeat as she slowly fell asleep.

Tara stayed up for a while, keeping watch over Maggie. She looked out the window every few minutes to make sure nobody was trying to sneak up on the bus. Tara knew something wasn't right, those spike strips were set for a reason. The only thing on her mind was getting another tire as soon as possible and getting the hell out of here. Before she knew it she fell into an uneasy sleep, her arms protectively wrapped around Maggie, daring anyone to mess with her growing family.

* * *

Another chapter done. What will happen next? We shall see. Sorry, I tried to get this out sooner but these last few days have been bad for me. School is super busy, going through a break up, a fave character on Grey's Anatomy died, etc. But don't worry...I won't leave y'all hangin'. Hopefully, I can get the next one out soon if I get motivated to write. Thanks again for all the reviews and love. Love y'all.

Tegan09: It could be either version actually. If you want nice and fluffy listen to the T&amp;S version. If you want raunchy and smutty, listen to the NIN version. Both are great songs though.


	11. All I Want

Tara and Daryl woke up early the next morning, ready to start their long day. They quickly packed their bags, getting all their weapons ready. Maggie watched while Tara got all her stuff ready, saddened by the fact that Tara was leaving.

Maggie hated how much her hormones were affecting her right now. She was sure that if she wasn't pregnant, this wouldn't have bothered her as much as it did now. Right now though, she wanted to beg Tara to stay and not go. Maggie could feel tears in her eyes just from the thought of Tara leaving. She tried to compose herself, knowing this was hard for Tara also.

"Hey, it'll be ok. I'll be back as fast as I can. I promise," Tara gently wiped away the few tears that managed to roll down Maggie's face.

"I know. It's just these crazy pregnancy hormones," Maggie softly laughed as she pulled Tara into a hug, wanting her as close as possible.

Tara held her tight. Maggie, feeling comfort in Tara's strong arms, felt like she could be in Tara's embrace forever. After a few minutes, Daryl climbed into the bus. He hated to break up their moment, but he and Tara needed to go.

"Hey, we need to head out," Daryl called to Tara as he exited the bus again.

Tara sighed, she hated to be leaving Maggie, "Ok babe, I gotta get out of here. Take care of little peanut until I get back. I love you," she gave Maggie a long kiss, placing her hand on Maggie's stomach, silently saying goodbye to their unborn child.

"I love you too. Be careful, we'll be waiting for you," Maggie placed her hand on top of Tara's before leaning in for another kiss.

"Always am, babe," Tara smiled as she turned away to get off the bus. Maggie watched her leave, knowing that if she followed her outside then she would probably start crying again. So instead, she sat down next to Rosita, who put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry. She'll be back before you know it," Rosita comforted Maggie, as Maggie gave her a weak smile.

"These damn hormones," Maggie felt some tears build up. Usually, she hated to be such an emotional wreck but today her body wasn't cooperating.

"I know they can be crazy. My sister-in-law had crazy mood swings when she was preggers. One time she cried cuz a puppy came on the TV," Rosita recalled as Maggie gave her a small laugh.

"Mine aren't that bad...yet," Maggie reassured the other woman as they laughed together.

Meanwhile, Tara was outside with Rick, Daryl, Abraham, and Carol. Rick gave his two runners a stern look, he still hated the idea that the group would be separated.

"Remember, if you see anyone, shoot first. Ask questions later," Rick instructed as Tara and Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Will do, boss man. Hey, can you guys keep an eye on Maggie? She seemed pretty emotional this morning," Tara was concerned about her wife, and just needed some reassurance that they would take care of Maggie while she was gone.

"You know we will. Everyone will watch out for her and the baby," Rick promised. He knew the jitters Tara was experiencing as a first time expecting parent, he had plenty of those when Lori was pregnant with Carl.

"It's just hormones. Just be glad she's emotional and not trying to kill you yet," Carol laughed as Rick nodded in agreement. He remembered those times also. Tara was in for a surprise with the upcoming mood swings Maggie would be experiencing.

"I'm sure that will come later," Tara grinned, knowing sometimes her antics could get on Maggie's nerves.

"Alright, you guys be safe and get back as fast as you can. We'll keep watch here," Rick gave Tara a fist bump and Daryl a brotherly pat on the shoulder.

They both gave Carol a quick hug before they set out onto the road, running at a steady pace.

* * *

Maggie watched out the window as Tara and Daryl took off running down the road. She could already feel the void that Tara had left in her heart. She sighed sadly, trying to keep the tears she felt at bay. Rosita saw the internal battle Maggie was having with herself and decided to try to help keep Maggie's mind off of Tara.

"So what would you do if you're pregnant with twins?" Rosita asked. She thought her friends having twins would be quite an adventure for all of the family.

"I would be very surprised. After the shock wore off, then I would be excited and wonder if they're gonna be boys or girls or one of each. Then I would think of names for them," Maggie had a big smile on her face as she thought of the possibility of twins.

"Knowing Tara, she would probably faint and then be all proud about getting you pregnant with twins," Rosita chimed in, knowing that Tara's ego could be too big for her own good.

"Yeah, that sounds like Tara alright," Maggie agreed as they both laughed at the image in their heads.

"So are you nervous?" Rosita wondered, she knew that if she was in Maggie's place, her nerves would be shot.

"Yeah, I'm very nervous. I'm nervous about being a good mother. I don't know if I'll know what to do. I just don't know what to expect," Maggie admitted to her friend. This was something that was on her mind daily, she only wanted the best for her child.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Besides you'll have Tara there and y'all will have all of us to help. This kiddo isn't even born yet and is loved by so many. They'll have so many aunts and uncles. I know Tara is so excited about the baby," Rosita assured Maggie, she couldn't wait until the baby arrived. She had heard how excited Tara was when she overheard conversations Tara would have with the guys.

"Thanks, Rosita. That makes me feel a lot better about everything," Maggie gave Rosita a hug of appreciation.

"Come on, let's get some fresh air and walk around for a bit until Rick gets all overprotective and makes us get back on the bus," Rosita suggested as she stood up, her legs needed some movement.

Rosita handed a handgun to Maggie, as she secured her own into its holster. They were all on high alert, waiting for whoever may have left those spike strips. Rosita couldn't wait until Daryl and Tara got back with the extra tire. She had a uneasy feeling about the whole situation. The faster they could leave this area, the better.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tara and Daryl had been running off and on for the last seven hours. They had at least an hour and half until they reached the house. Hopefully, her Camaro was still there and in working order. If it wasn't, she had no idea what they would do.

Tara hoped Maggie was doing alright, and that her family was ok. Hopefully, no one had tried to attack them yet. If they had, those fuckers would have Tara to deal with. Tara was lost in her thoughts as she ran. She didn't see the log laying out on the road in front of her until it was too late. Tara tripped over the log, which sent her flying onto the pavement.

"Fuck!" she yelled as she held her throbbing knee. Tara was pretty sure she had just injured it badly. She rubbed it a bit to try to soothe the pain. An injured knee was something she did not need right now. She had too much at stake for this shit.

"I told ya to watch out for the log on the road. Guess ya didn't hear me," Daryl ran to her, dropping down to her level to inspect her injury.

"Yeah no shit, Sherlock," Tara sarcastically spat, trying to not to focus on the pain.

"Can you walk on it?" Daryl asked with concern lacing his voice. If a herd of walkers decided to show up now, Tara would be a goner in her current condition.

"I think so," Tara said as she tried to stand up on her own but couldn't get up without wincing in pain. Daryl stood up and reached down to help her up.

Tara slowly put weight on the injured knee, she hissed at the the pain she felt. Tara ignored her screaming knee as she took a couple of steps. It didn't matter if she was in pain or not, they had come a long way and she wasn't stopping. Plus, she had Maggie and peanut to get back to.

"I'll be fine. Let's keep going," Tara said as she took off running again. Her body was in excruciating pain. Her muscles wanted to give up from all the running she had been doing all day. Her knee was on fire, but she kept going. A lot of people were counting on her right now and she needed to get back to them.

Daryl kept up the pace with her. Tara knew he was pushing his body to the extreme right now also. They were both so focused on the goal, no matter how much discomfort they felt. On the way, they had found a couple of abandoned cars but none of them worked. So they continued on the hard way.

Finally, just when Tara thought her body and knee couldn't take anymore, they spotted the long driveway that led to the familiar house.

"Fuck, finally," Tara laughed as they stopped running and walked a fast pace up the driveway. There was the beautiful blue Camaro sitting just where Tara had left it. Tara ran to it, ignoring her body's screams of misery. She needed to know if the car would still turn on or not. After a couple of attempts, Tara was able to hotwire the car as the engine roared to life.

"Finally, we catch a break," she told Daryl as he leaned against the car to catch his breath from all the running.

"I don't know about you but I'm taking a short shower to get all this sweat and gunk off of me. You should take one too so I don't have to smell you the whole ride back," Tara laughed as Daryl punched her lightly on the shoulder.

"Alright, let's make this quick," Daryl agreed as they headed into the house. He went to one bathroom while Tara went to the other.

Tara took a quick shower and put on a fresh set of clothes she had packed. She felt better already, but her knee still hurt and her muscles ached like no other. Tara quickly limped her way to the car, waiting on Daryl.

Daryl appeared a few minutes later, his hair wet from his shower. He climbed into the passenger seat as Tara jumped into the driver's side.

"Let's get the fuck out of here," Daryl said as Tara turned the car on, revving the engine. She peeled out of the driveway and raced the car to the abandoned bus they had found a few weeks ago.

The duo made it to the road where the bus was in record time as Tara drove as fast as she could. They both climbed out of the car and ran to the bus despite both of them being in agony from their earlier ordeal.

They quickly got to work removing the front left tire, using the jack they had brought to raise the bus up as they loosened the lug nuts. After a quick discussion, they decided to take the other front tire as well. Just in case it was needed during the trip, it wouldn't hurt to have an extra tire.

The friends then tied up the tires securely on top of the Camaro with some rope they had brought. After admiring their handiwork for a few seconds, they both climbed into the sports car. Tara started the car, and began to drive as fast as she safely could. The sky began to get a dark orange tint, as the evening settled in around them.

"I'm so glad that shit is over with. I'm gonna need like ten bottles of pain killers when we get back," Darryl commented as his sore muscles ached all over his body. He definitely wasn't as young as he used to be.

"Yeah, no shit. I just wanna sleep for a whole day also," Tara added as she glanced over at Daryl for a second before returning her eyes to the road. They were silent for a few minutes as the scenery passed them by in a blur. Tara let her mind wander to Maggie and their unborn baby. She just couldn't wait to see her wife again, and make sure her little family was safe.

"How excited are you about the baby?" Daryl asked as he saw Tara smile broadly. With the stories he had heard about Tara's past, he never expected her to be such a family person. He guessed love and children could change a person.

"I never knew I could want something so bad until I found out Maggie was pregnant. Before, I never thought I would have kids and if I did, it would be a situation where I would be saddled up with child support payments for eighteen years," Tara heard Daryl snicker besides her.

"It's true! It would have been a total baby mama situation. I know peanut was a bit of an accident but it was an amazing accident. I am actually in love with Maggie and this baby just makes everything better. I feel like my life is finally complete," Tara beamed. She couldn't wait until she held her child in her arms for the first time.

"I'm just so excited to hold the baby, wake up in the middle of the night when it's crying. I can't wait to teach the kiddo how to play sports and watch his or her first steps. I'm just ready for the whole parenthood thing," Tara couldn't keep her excitement to herself, she was ready for this.

"I'm gonna teach the kiddo how to hunt and use a crossbow. So be ready for that," Daryl laughed. He was sure the kid would inherit Tara's natural athletic abilities.

"Yeah, just don't curse around the kid or Maggie will kill us both if they start cursin'," Tara snickered as Daryl joined in her laughter. They could only imagine how livid Maggie would be if the kiddo starting cursing like a sailor.

"I'll try to clean up my language a bit when the baby is born," Daryl promised as he looked out the window. They were making good time so far with Tara's driving.

"You and me both," Tara added as she changed gears and kept on driving at a fast speed. They both kept silent for awhile as their thoughts turned to getting back to the others as fast as they could. They hoped their family would still be safe by the time they got back, and had plans for anyone who threatened them if they weren't.

* * *

Finally, after a couple of hours of driving they saw the bus in the distance. Tara breathed a sigh of relief as she saw that Rick and the others looked safe; everything seemed normal so far.

Tara parked the Camaro in front of the bus, jumping out, ready to see Maggie after being gone practically all day.

"Bout time you fuckers got back," Abraham laughed as he started to untie the tires from the top of the sports car.

"Hey, you run off and on for seven hours, and see how fast it'll take you," Tara responded as she helped take off the tires and set them down by the bus.

"Where's Maggie?" Tara asked as she looked around not seeing her wife anywhere.

"She got the morning sickness, it was pretty bad actually. So she went out to the creek to clean up. Carol and Rosita went with her, and I made sure they had guns and ammo," Abraham answered as he started to take the flat tire off of the bus.

"They've actually been gone for a while," Sasha piped up, she was starting to get a little worried.

Rick looked at his watch, "They have been gone for some time now. They should have been back by now," he was starting to get alarmed about the well being of his friends.

Tara felt her heart drop. She was hoping Maggie was just taking her time and would show up at any minute with Carol and Rosita. A few more minutes went by with no sign of them, Tara went into protective mode.

"I'm going to go look for them," Tara grabbed her semi-automatic rifle, her adrenaline going into full overdrive.

"I'll go with ya," Daryl joined Tara's side. He didn't care how tired or achy he was, he needed to make sure everyone was safe. Plus, Carol was somewhere out there.

Suddenly, they heard the rustle of trees as someone stepped out from the shadows. The person's face was hidden until he stepped out into the early moonlight. Rick and Tara immediately recognized the person who stood in front of them. Everyone raised their weapons at the man standing in the shadows.

"I would lower those weapons if I were you. Especially when I have three of your members," the man chuckled as he snapped his fingers. On cue, ten other people stepped out from the behind the trees. They had Maggie, Carol, and Rosita tied up with guns trained at their heads. They roughly shoved their three captives to the ground.

"Gareth. I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance," Rick muttered as he kept his gun raised on the cannibal.

"Well, you didn't and now we're here. I see you fell into one of our traps. It's come in handy a few times, and brought us a steady supply of meat. Unsuspecting people are always the easiest to trap," Gareth chuckled to himself as Rick narrowed his eyes at him.

"I see you still have that red-handled machete. Isn't that the one you said you were going to kill me with? You won't be keeping that promise now, huh Rick?" Gareth observed as he saw the machete tucked in Rick's belt.

Daryl kept his crossbow ready to attack. He always knew that they would end up running into these freaks sooner or later. They should have listened to Rick and gone back when Terminus was at its most vulnerable. Daryl kept his eyes on the hostages, making sure no one was being too rough with them. He hated to see Carol, Maggie, and Rosita in this situation.

"Lower your weapons now! Or I'll kill one of them," Gareth cocked his gun showing that he was being serious.

Rick sighed with defeat, "Put down your weapons," he ordered his group as he slowly put his gun on the floor, hands up. He then reached into his belt and pulled out the machete, letting it fall to the floor.

Tara narrowed her eyes at Gareth, her eyes filled with hatred as he looked at her and smirked. Tara looked at Maggie, silently promising her that she would somehow get her out of this alive even if it meant Tara had to give up her own life.

Tara felt her body tremble with all the adrenaline coursing through her blood. She looked at Daryl and nodded as she lowered the semi-automatic to the ground. She then unholstered her gun and knife, adding it to the pile.

The rest of the group followed Tara and Rick's lead as they reluctantly gave up all their weapons. Gareth laughed as he realized that he finally had the upper hand against them. This time he wouldn't let this golden opportunity to kill the Grime's group pass him by.

"Theresa, keep your gun locked on those three. Martin and Albert, tie up everybody else. Bring me the four that will give me the most trouble. It's good to get them out of the way first, the rest are weak. They won't fight like these four will," Gareth barked out orders as he pointed to Rick, Daryl, Tara, and Abraham.

"Everyone else, keep your guns locked on the captives. If anyone tries anything funny, shoot one of the three women," Gareth holstered his gun, as his people followed his orders.

Tara, Rick, Abraham, and Daryl were roughly grabbed as they were tied up with some torn up cloth and brought to Gareth. Tara figured if she had enough time she could break out of her restraints. Tara wasn't sure what she would do after that but she was sure her instincts would kick in. Or at least she hoped. She couldn't let these scums hurt Maggie.

"Kneel down," Gareth ordered the four hostages in front of him. They all glared at him as they kept standing, defying his orders. Gareth just chuckled at their rebellion.

"You know you're just making this harder on yourselves," he said as he snapped his fingers, giving his men a signal of some order.

Suddenly, all four of them felt a sharp pain as they were pistol whipped hard on their heads. Tara tried to keep to herself how much that hit hurt, she didn't want to show this crazed lunatic any weakness. They were then roughly kicked until they were all kneeling in front of Gareth. Tara felt her knee scream in agony from her earlier tumble, she ignored it.

"See? How easy that was? Why do you have to make things so difficult? Rick, your group is always making things harder than they have to be," Gareth smugly smiled. Tara couldn't wait to knock that smile off of his face. She quietly worked against her restraints, hoping no one would notice her.

"You think you can kill my mother, my brother, destroy our sanctuary and get away with it? I will admit I did try to keep track of y'all after the whole Terminus mess but we needed food so we came up with a plan and forgot about y'all. I had other important things to keep my attention on," Gareth licked his lips before he continued his story.

"So you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when I realized that our spike strips had captured none other than Rick Grime's infamous group. I wanted to attack right away but I controlled myself to see what y'all would do. Of course, y'all didn't disappoint," Gareth looked at Tara, giving her another conceited smile. Tara narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. If Rick didn't kill him this time, then she definitely would.

"So we made y'all think it was just a fluke. That y'all weren't in any trouble, and had all the time to get the other tires. But we kept an eye on y'all. Hell, you got so comfortable you let three of your group leave. Not very smart, Rick," Gareth tried to get under their skins, knowing that if he could get the four against each other, it would just be the icing on the cake.

"Tara, how does it feel to know that you trusted Rick with Maggie and we ended up capturing her fairly easily? That's your girl, isn't it? I can tell by the way you look at her. How does it feel to know she's going to die because of your leader's stupidity?" Gareth spat at Tara.

Tara knew what Gareth was trying to do, but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. She knew Rick blamed himself already, even though she didn't. She wouldn't let Gareth turn her friends against each other. Tara looked at Maggie, seeing some tears falling out of her eyes.

"You touch her, I will kill you," Tara said with a steady voice, making sure that Gareth knew she was serious. She kept working against her restraints, knowing she would be free in just a few minutes.

Gareth clearly not ready for her defiance, took a couple of startled steps back. He wasn't used to people unsettling his nerves, but somehow Tara was able to break through that barrier. He hated feeling like others had an upper hand above him. He needed to put Tara back in her place.

Gareth took his gun out of the holster as he pistol whipped her again, "Maybe now you'll realize who's in charge here," he spat as he felt his anger rise.

Tara felt blood run down her face, but she kept from showing how much pain she was in or how disorientated she felt. All Tara knew was that she had to keep him talking so she had enough time to untie her restraints. She vaguely heard Maggie and Daryl yelling at Gareth to leave her alone.

Gareth stood back for a few minutes, rubbing his chin, deciding what he was going to do next to his captives. He decided it was time to give Rick's group a taste of their own medicine.

"Hey, Albert bring the gasoline. It's fire time. Y'all will love this," Gareth smiled as he showed his teeth like a hungry wolf eyeing prey.

Albert and some other man arrived with a couple of gasoline cans. They started splashing the bus on the outside and inside. When they were done, Gareth reached into his pocket bringing out his lighter.

"You destroyed my sanctuary, I'm going to destroy yours now," Gareth reached down to grab a tree branch, lighting one end on fire as he threw it into the bus. He grabbed another branch, repeating his actions until a size-able fire resulted which began to eat the bus. Tara watched, as all the work her and Daryl had done on runs to get supplies and to fix the bus went up in flames in a matter of minutes. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to will the pain away that was piercing throughout her head.

Tara composed herself even though what she really wanted to do was faint from the blows she had suffered to her head. She kept her kneeling position, hands still trying to get free. Tara coughed up some blood, and spat it out at Gareth.

Gareth was beyond himself, this one wouldn't quit. He thought Rick would be the most defiant one in the group, but so far he had been wrong. He knew that if he threatened Carl or Judith then Rick would become more rebellious. This gave him idea for a sadistic game to play with his captives.

"How 'bout we play a game where I take the ones you love the most and threaten them until you beg me to kill you to save their lives? Except of course, I'm gonna kill them later but at least you won't have to see it," Gareth laughed as if this would be a simple game of Monopoly.

"Tara, since you want to give me such a hard time, you get to be first," he turned to Martin, "Bring me, Maggie."

Martin roughly grabbed Maggie's arm, forcing her to stand up, and dragged her over to Gareth, despite Carol and Rosita's protests. Gareth held Maggie against him as he brought his knife out, nonchalantly holding it in his other hand. Tara glared at him, feeling all the pain and disorientation leave her body. Now all she felt was anger towards Gareth and protectiveness for Maggie and their unborn child.

Tara kept her focus on Maggie, trying to silently tell her that it would be okay. Trying to tell Maggie that she would make sure that she made it out of this alive. Tara felt Daryl trying to control his anger next to her. Tara knew what he was feeling, she could feel all the hatred she felt for Gareth coursing through her blood. Now he was going to try to terrorize the love of her life, for that he was going to die tonight.

"So what's it gonna be Tara? You want me to hurt her?" Gareth sniffed Maggie's hair, "You know what? She smells really good...bet she will taste even better," he laughed as he held his knife, running the blade slowly up and down Maggie's arm.

"Hmmm...maybe I'll let the guys have some fun with her before we kill her. What do you think guys? My boys can get a little rowdy," Gareth asked as he looked directly into Tara's eyes.

There were a few whoops and hollers as some of the men seemed to like this idea. Some of them looked away, apprehensive looks on their faces. The two women in Gareth's group looked down at the ground. Tara felt her blood boil, her anger rising to the surface.

"Or maybe we can make it more fun, and let you watch what we do to her," Gareth licked his lips, as he took another sniff of Maggie's hair. Maggie felt some tears fall silently from her face, as she tried to stay composed.

"Fuck you," Tara grunted as she narrowed her eyes at Gareth. She felt the restraints loosening more and more. Tara didn't care about the consequences for her, she just needed to get Maggie out of this. Tara couldn't let Gareth and his men hurt Maggie like that.

"You hurt her...we'll kill you and all your people," Rick muttered as Gareth turned his attention to the bearded man.

Gareth laughed, "I fail to see how you will do that in the circumstances you are in now."

Gareth decided that this game wasn't as fun as he thought it would be. So far his taunting and threatening hadn't gotten the response he wanted from the four captives kneeling in front of him.

Gareth dropped his knife to the floor as he grabbed his gun out of his holster, "I thought this would be more fun, but you people bore me. I'm just going to kill everyone. I have more important things to do than waste any more time with you."

With that, he roughly pushed Maggie away from him, causing her to fall down. Rick's group watched in horror as Gareth landed a couple of kicks into Maggie's stomach. Tara felt Daryl struggling to untie his restraints against her. Tara closed her eyes for a split second before all the adrenaline in her body exploded.

Tara broke free from the cloth that held her hands together. Before Gareth could land a third kick on Maggie, he was tackled by Tara. They struggled for a few seconds before Tara was easily able to overpower him. She grabbed his gun that had fallen out of his reach and put it to his head, ready to fire.

"Tell your people to lower their weapons or I'll shoot your fuckin' brains out," Tara threatened as she cocked the gun.

Gareth could tell by the wild look in Tara's eyes that she was serious. He felt all the cockiness he was abundant with earlier leave his body, "Everyone lower your weapons."

"What? We have them," Martin started to argue.

"Lower your weapons, god dammit!" Gareth practically screamed as he the felt the gun dig deeper into his hair.

Gareth's group slowly lowered their weapons and stepped away, hands up in surrender. "Get up," Tara roughly raised Gareth to his feet and marched him over to Rick.

"Untie him and if anyone tries anything, I will put a bullet in your head so fuckin' fast," Tara muttered as Gareth followed orders, he untied Rick's restraints with shaky hands.

Rick quickly went to work untying the rest of his family and securing their weapons. As soon as Carol was free, she ran to Maggie's side, holding the younger woman as she sobbed. Rosita grabbed a gun, training it on their captives.

"Tie them up," Rick said as he gave Daryl and Abraham rope to tie up the Terminus group. Soon all of the enemy group were tied up securely and kneeling in front of Daryl, Tara, Rick, and Abraham. Sasha, Michonne, and Rosita kept their weapons focused on the captives, daring them to make a move.

Tara reached down to pick up Rick's red-handled machete. Gareth gulped when he saw the long knife and knew what was in store for him.

"You want to do the honors or shall I?" Tara asked as she held out the machete for Rick to take.

Rick took a look over to where Carol was still trying to console Maggie, who had her hand on her stomach. He looked over at Tara who was looking at the scene also. Rick knew Tara needed this.

"You can do it," Rick said as he waved the machete away. Gareth started to panic when he realized that he wouldn't be getting out of this alive.

"You can let us go! We won't have to run into each other ever again. We won't bother you ever again," Gareth squeaked as he began to beg for his life, all the smugness from earlier no where to be found.

"Yeah, you kicked my pregnant wife. No way are you getting out of this," Tara narrowed her eyes at him before glancing at Maggie. She was still sobbing while Carol had her arms wrapped around her. Tara wanted to console Maggie, but she needed to do this first.

"I didn't know she was pregnant...please..." Gareth groveled at Tara and Rick's feet. Tara responded by kicking him in the ribs, hard. Gareth let out a few coughs, as he curled into a ball.

"Please...we can work this out. You can let us go...we won't bother you," Gareth felt some tears leave his eyes.

Rick kicked him in the gut, "You want us to let you go? So you can terrorize and eat innocent people? You monsters aren't going anywhere tonight."

"Sit up!" Tara ordered as Gareth struggled to get on his knees. He gave her one more look, pleading for his life.

Tara ignored him as she brought the machete to his head, his face caved in as his blood spattered all over her and Rick. She brought it down again and again, until Gareth's lifeless body fell to the floor.

Rick, Abraham, and Daryl took Tara's lead as they took their semi-automatic rifles and started to beat the other members of Gareth's group to death. Sasha joined in as she took her knife and plunged it deep into Martin's chest. Michonne took her katana and made sure one of the women had a quick death. Rosita kept her gun on the captives waiting for their fate, just in case they tried to run away.

Tara, done with Gareth, moved onto the man who helped Albert set the bus on fire. After a few hits, the man's body fell over, his blood covering the ground under him. Finally, all of Gareth's group members were dead.

"It was either us or them. They would have killed us without a second thought," Rick told them as they looked at the aftermath of the massacre. Tara wiped the blood off of her face, a mixture of her own and their enemies'. Tara gave Gareth's body one last look before running over to where Maggie was.

"Baby, are you ok?" Tara knelt down besides Maggie who still had tears in her eyes. Maggie immediately latched onto Tara, burying her face into Tara's shirt as she started to cry harder.

"My stomach hurts. I'm scared the baby got hurt. I don't want to lose our baby," Maggie sobbed as Tara held her close.

"Shhh...baby. It'll be ok," Tara tried to soothe Maggie, hoping that their unborn child was alright. She didn't know how Maggie would react to losing their baby.

Rick stepped in front of the young couple, he could see that Maggie was inconsolable right now. He knew they were in the middle of a delicate situation, he had seen what Gareth had done. Rick knew what was at risk.

"Hey, we're gonna make camp a couple of miles down the road. Then we'll figure out what we're gonna do to get to Washington, DC, after we get some rest," Rick told Tara, as she nodded her head in agreement.

The group started to walk down the road to their new campsite, with Rick leading the way. Tara gently rubbed Maggie's back as she watched the others start to leave. She knew they needed to head out also.

"Hey baby, come on. We gotta walk a couple of miles to get to the campsite," Tara stood up, helping Maggie up. She wrapped her arm around Maggie's waist as they followed the group. Maggie leaned against her, putting all her weight on Tara for support. No one said anything as they all thought about what had just transpired and what they had lost.

Finally, Rick picked a campsite as he and Daryl went to work, gathering wood for a small fire. Tara sat against a tree with Maggie in her lap, holding her wife close.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Tara whispered in Maggie's ear. Maggie responded by snuggling deeper into Tara, trying to find some comfort in her arms. Soon, Tara realized that Maggie had fallen asleep.

Tara stayed in place as she watched the happenings around her. No one really said much as they just stared into the roaring flames of the fire. Rick still had his map, and was looking at routes they could take safely by walking since their bus had been destroyed.

After a couple of hours, Tara was starting to fall asleep, when Maggie jerked awake. She stared at Tara for a moment before she started to cry.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Tara asked as everyone turned to look at them. Carol sat up, staring at Maggie with alarm.

"I'm bleeding. I can feel it. What if something's wrong with the baby?" Maggie cried as Carol stood up. She knew it was a possibility that Maggie could lose the baby after those kicks she suffered to her stomach.

"I had some pads in my pack. It's still down by the creek. All three of our packs are," Rosita said as she stood up.

"We'll go get them," Abraham told the group as he and Rosita headed to the creek to retrieve the backpacks.

After half an hour, the two came back with the backpacks. Rosita dug into her bag until she found a pad and gave it Maggie. Rosita hoped nothing was wrong with the baby, she would be torn if anything happened to it.

Maggie took the pad and went to go put it on. Rosita accompanied her to make sure she would be okay.

Carol sat down next to Tara, "This might be normal bleeding that happens sometimes during pregnancy or it might be a miscarriage from those kicks she got earlier. The body is pretty quick about getting rid of things it doesn't need. We'll just have to wait and see."

Tara sat in silence. She couldn't fantom losing her child. She could only imagine how Maggie would react. Carol continued, "She will have to take a pregnancy test in about a week to see if the baby is still in there since we can't do an ultrasound to see. If it's a miscarriage, the body will go back to normal fairly quickly. A week should be enough time to see."

Tara sighed sadly. She didn't know if she could deal with this, but she needed to be strong for Maggie. She looked at her family, they were all staring at her with sympathy in their eyes.

Maggie and Rosita came back to the camp a few minutes later. Rosita had her arm wrapped around Maggie, helping her walk.

"Are you bleeding a lot?" Carol asked, concern lacing her voice.

Maggie nodded sadly, "Am I having a miscarriage?"

"We won't know for sure until you take a pregnancy test in about a week. It might just be normal pregnancy bleeding or a miscarriage. We won't know for sure," Carol told her as the rest of the group listened.

"Where are we gonna get a pregnancy test?" Maggie asked as she felt tears build up in her eyes again.

"I have a couple in my bag," Carol pulled Maggie into a hug, "It's gonna be ok, sweetie."

Maggie pulled out of the hug as she went to go lay down by herself away from the group. Everyone watched as Maggie took her blanket out of her pack and draped it over herself, her back to everyone else. Tara knew that when Maggie experienced a loss her natural instinct was to pull away from everyone and be alone. Tara would leave Maggie alone for a couple of hours before she would go lay down with her.

Tara could feel the stares of everyone, all of them looking at her sorrowfully. She ignored them as she sat down on a log by the fire, staring at Maggie's laying form. Rick came up from behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Tomorrow, we'll look for some kind of shelter around here so we can stay 'till this baby thing is sorted out. I don't think Maggie will be wantin' to travel while going through somethin' like that. Then we can figure out what to do about Washington. We might even find a vehicle if we get lucky," Rick softly told her of their new plan. Tara nodded in agreement, right now Washington DC, was the the farthest thing from her mind.

Daryl and Abraham gave her a supporting pat on the shoulder as they laid down to get some sleep. Soon, everyone was passed out from the excitement of the earlier events they had gone through. Tara's body was screaming at her to lay down and get some sleep. She finally decided to listen to it as she went over to where Maggie was.

* * *

Tara laid down next to Maggie, scooting close to her, pulling Maggie's back close to the front of her body. Maggie turned to look at her, tears in her eyes.

"I need you to do something for me," Maggie pleaded as she sat up slightly to give Tara a kiss.

Tara nodded her head, "What do you need?"

"I need to forget...even if it's just for a few minutes. I need to feel something other than this pain," Maggie whispered as she let her hand roam down Tara's body.

Tara sat up in alarm, knowing what Maggie was asking for, "I can't do that. You're bleeding and I don't want to hurt you."

"Be gentle. Please Tara, I need to feel something other than this pain," Maggie begged as tears rolled down her face.

Tara was going through an internal struggle. She wanted to help Maggie but she didn't want to make things worse. Tara looked at Maggie, she was crying as her warm tears fell onto Tara's shirt. She hated to see Maggie broken like this.

Tara looked over at everyone else, they were all still passed out. She could hear snores from Daryl and Rick. Tara gave Maggie another look, feeling her heart break at the sight before her.

"Are you sure you want this?" Tara asked as she leaned in to give Maggie a passionate kiss, trailing light kisses down her neck.

"Yes, please...be gentle," Maggie rolled onto her back, pulling Tara on top of her. Tara made sure the blanket was covering them before letting her hands roam over Maggie's body.

Tara thought it would take her awhile to get hard considering the circumstances, but her body responded quickly as she felt the tightness in her jeans. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, pulling her body as close as she could. Maggie made sure there wasn't an inch of space between them.

Tara slowly unbuttoned Maggie's jeans, lowering them so she could get access to Maggie's most private of parts. Maggie pulled Tara down for another kiss, as her hands made work of Tara's belt. After a few attempts, Maggie was finally able to unbuckle the belt and free Tara's yearning cock from its restraints. Maggie gave Tara a few gentle squeezes before she guided Tara to where she wanted her most.

Tara gave Maggie a look to make sure she was still okay. Maggie guided Tara into a passionate kiss, her tongue going into Tara's mouth as they dueled for dominance.

Tara slowly started to thrust into Maggie, gently going in inch after inch until she was completely sheathed in Maggie's tight wetness. She let Maggie adjust to her size for a couple of minutes before she gently started to thrust in and out.

Tara moaned softly at the feel of Maggie's tight walls. She looked down at Maggie, and saw the woman underneath her was looking away with some tears in her eyes. Tara immediately stopped her actions.

"Do you want me to stop?" Tara asked, concern in her voice.

Maggie shook her head, still not looking at her, "Keep going."

Against Tara's better judgment, she continued to gently thrust into Maggie, placing soft kisses on her exposed neck. She could feel Maggie tremble around her stiffened cock and knew she was close. Tara softly quickened her pace, as she felt Maggie come on her, wetness coating her cock.

Maggie pulled Tara close as her body convulsed with the effects of her orgasm. Tara tried to hold off as long as she could but knew she was a goner. She felt that familiar rush as she felt herself let go inside of Maggie, spurt after spurt of hot cum filling up Maggie on the inside.

Before Tara could recover from the high of her intense orgasm, she felt Maggie roughly push her off.

"Get off of me," Maggie said as she pulled up her jeans, quickly zipping and buttoning them up.

"Maggie, what's wrong?" Tara was confused about her sudden change in behavior. Tara quickly got dressed as she looked at Maggie, waiting for an explanation.

"It's all your fault," Maggie said simply as she looked away from Tara.

"How is this all my fault?" Tara sat up, wondering why Maggie would think such a thing.

"Because you left. I wanted you to stay, but I knew I couldn't tell you to. You always leave. Why can't other people go on runs? Why is it always you? You're supposed to protect me and our baby, and you weren't even here to do that. If you had been here, maybe none of this would have happened. And maybe I wouldn't be at risk for losing our kid," Maggie shouted at Tara, waking up the others except for Eugene, Carl, and Judith.

"Well, Maggie it's not like I was off fuckin' the town whore. I was trying to get us a tire so we could keep on, so we could find a place for you to have the kid. Everything I do is for you. And you know why I have to leave. I'm the best one here. Glenn taught me everything I know and after him I'm second best. Daryl and I work well together, if someone else had gone to do what we did today, they still would be gone and who knows what would have happened with those fuckin' cannibal freaks?" Tara tried to keep from shouting at Maggie, that wasn't her style.

Rick stood up, ready to inject himself into this if it got too heated. He didn't think Tara would hurt Maggie, but he knew she could lose control of her anger. The others sat up, watching the argument unfold in front of them.

"It's all your fuckin' fault. You made me believe that I could still have love, marriage, happiness, and babies in this fucked up world. I thought after my dad, Beth, and Glenn that this world had taken everything from me, but then you made me believe in all those things again," Maggie wiped the tears that were running down her face.

"And now it's gonna take my baby and sooner or later it'll take you also. Then I'll be all alone," Maggie cried as she felt tears run down her face, she stood up.

"We don't know for sure yet. Our baby might be fine," Tara stood up also, trying to bring Maggie into a hug. Maggie roughly pushed her away; Tara almost lost her balance but was able to keep her composure. Maggie pushed her again, hitting her shoulder a few times. Tara let her get her frustrations out, trying to embrace Maggie.

"Don't touch me! And I'm not getting my hopes up. To me, this baby is already gone, and I've lost something else I loved," Maggie cried harder as those words left her mouth. Tara just stared at her in disbelief.

Hormones were running rampant throughout Maggie's body and she knew she should quit while she was ahead, but she couldn't stop the words that came out of her mouth next until it was too late.

"If we lose this baby, I don't want anything from you. I don't want another kid, I don't want nothing from you!" Maggie spat angrily at Tara. She immediately regretted those words as she saw the broken look on Tara's face. The others in the group were in shock at the scene in front of them.

"You don't mean that. You can't," Tara tried to reason with Maggie. Tara tried to touch Maggie's arm, to do anything to make her see the mistake she was making. Maggie responded by slapping Tara on the cheek. The others gasped as they got up, waiting for a fight to break out.

"I said don't touch me!" Maggie shouted at Tara. As soon as the slap was over, Maggie wished she could take all of this back. Maggie wanted nothing more than to run into Tara's arms and apologize but her stubborn side refused to let her.

Tara glared at Maggie. Tara could feel some anger running through her body, wondering how they ended up here. She punched the tree next to her, feeling pain starting to form in her hand. Tara didn't care about the pain. She saw Rick start to to move towards them. Tara would never hurt Maggie that way but she just needed to punch something.

"Fine. If that's the way you want it. I'll fuckin' leave you alone," Tara responded as she turned away, going to sit on a log on the other side of the fire, away from everyone.

Everyone looked at Maggie, still in disbelief about what had happened in front of them. Maggie wished she could run to Tara, and tell her how much she loved her and wanted to be with her. She wanted to tell Tara that she didn't care about the world as long as they were together. Instead, she turned away from all that love and sat down by herself in the coldness.

Daryl got up, going over to where Tara was sitting. He saw that she had tears running down her face. He sat down next to her, placing his arm over her shoulder. Daryl knew this was serious because Tara never cried.

All Tara could feel right now was her heart breaking. She wanted to run to Maggie to tell her that this was all a mistake, that they could work through this. Even if they lost the baby, that they could endure. Of course, her stubborn side told her that if Maggie wanted this then so be it. Tara wouldn't beg for something Maggie didn't want.

Rick made sure Eugene, Judith, and Carl were still sound asleep before he went over to Tara. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder, as he saw the tears fall down her face.

"You know she probably didn't mean any of that. She has all these hormones running through her body and she's going through a traumatic event with a possible miscarriage. Maggie probably doesn't even know what she is sayin'," Rick tried to give Tara some comfort as he looked over at Maggie who was sobbing uncontrollably.

Tara wiped the tears off of her face, composing herself. She decided she would quit crying at that moment and put up a wall, trying to show the others that this didn't effect her as much as it really did.

Abraham looked at the others as he went over to Tara's group, offering his support. Abraham knew Tara was hurting immensely right now, even if she was trying to hide it.

"You know what would get me in a better mood after something like this?" Abraham asked Tara as he sat down next to her.

"What?" Tara asked as she kept her tears at bay.

"Some booze, a joint, and an easy woman. You get all three of those things, the hurt kinda goes away," Abraham smiled as he tried to lighten up the mood a bit. He hated seeing Tara in this condition, he was used to her being strong and steady.

Tara let out a weak laugh, "Yeah, too bad there aren't any of those things here."

"Don't be so sure," Abraham grinned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle of scotch that was half full.

He handed the bottle to Tara, "It ain't much but at least you'll get a couple of drinks out of it. I don't have a joint though and the first attractive woman I see, I'll send her your way."

"Thanks, bro," Tara took a drink of the liquor. Soon the bottle was empty as she sat with her friends. Daryl kept his arm on her shoulder, sending his silent support.

Meanwhile, Carol, Rosita, Sasha, and Michonne went over to sit with Maggie and try to offer their comfort. They saw that the young woman was sobbing into her hands. Rosita immediately pulled Maggie into a hug.

"You didn't mean all that, did you?" the Hispanic woman asked. She felt Maggie shake her head against her.

"I don't know why I said it. I didn't mean it," Maggie admitted, "You know how much I love Tara. I was just so angry that she wasn't there when I needed her most and I got captured. I just wanted her to hurt like I'm hurting right now."

Carol placed her hand on Maggie's knee, "Oh honey, you know she was just trying to get our bus up and running. She works hard for this group. For you. Tara would give up her life for you in a heartbeat."

"And I get to repay her by losing her baby," Maggie choked out a sob as she felt Rosita pull her closer.

"That's not your fault. That's not Tara's fault. It was all Gareth. Don't blame Tara," Sasha told Maggie as she tried to comfort her along with the others.

"And you should know that Tara was already hurting with the news that the baby might be lost. You didn't need to hurt her more. I know hormones are going crazy for you and maybe that was part of it, but you didn't need to blame her so much," Michonne added, as she rubbed Maggie's back. Michonne hoped either Tara or Maggie would step up and take the first initiative to fixing this fight. She didn't want them to break up over something like this.

"You need to fix this with Tara and soon. Because you know if you don't, she will sleep with the first attractive woman we run into and I know you don't want that," Rosita told Maggie, knowing how Tara could be at times.

Thinking of Tara with another woman just made Maggie cry harder. Maggie definitely didn't want Tara to sleep with someone else and share the intimacy that was theirs. The small group tried to comfort Maggie as best as they could, but nothing compared to the comfort she would have found in Tara's arms.

Tara's group stayed up with her for a couple of hours, the sky signaling that dawn was near. Finally, everyone started to go to sleep, exhausted from all the emotional events that took place.

Tara rubbed her cheek where Maggie had slapped her earlier, it still stung a bit. Daryl was seated besides her, he refused to go to sleep until she did. For now, he had his arm around her shoulders as he tried to give her some form of comfort.

Tara felt miserable. She had truly just lost everything. Her family, Glenn, and now it seemed like she lost Maggie also. Tara hoped Rick was right and that this was just the hormones and trauma talking. She didn't want to lose the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Tara didn't know how she would be able to function around Maggie, especially after knowing what it was like to be with her. Tara hoped these next few days would go by fast so they would know if there was still a baby in the picture.

Tara didn't care what Maggie wanted. If Maggie was still pregnant, then Tara would definitely be in her kid's life even if she wasn't with Maggie anymore. The thought of being in the world without Maggie to love and care for broke Tara in ways she never imagined.

She looked at her wedding band, wondering if she should take it off. Tara decided to keep it on for now, maybe she could talk to Maggie and they could work this out. Either way, she would still do whatever she could to make sure Maggie was protected at all costs. Tara needed to make sure she kept her promise to Glenn, no matter how much it hurt her.

Tara looked over at Maggie's sleeping frame, silently promising the love of her life that no matter how this turned out, that she would always protect her.

Daryl looked over and saw how broken Tara was over this. He hoped his friends could work through this and be happy again. Their love had been something beautiful in a world where cruelty and ugliness was abundant. Daryl was never a praying man but he silently sent whatever entity there was a prayer that the baby would be alright and his friends would work this out. He could only hope that it wasn't too late.

* * *

Ok there is that chapter. Oh no! They aren't breaking up are they? We shall see. So someone sent me a pm to ask about the songs that I named my chapters after. They wanted to know the artists also. So I sent that to them and decided I can tell you guys the song and artist starting this chapter on. This chapter was inspired by "All I Want" by Kodaline.

Oh and thanks to the anonymous reviewer who always tells me how much they love my story. Your reviews always make me want to update faster lol. So thank you. :)

As always thanks for all the reviews and love. :)


	12. Say Something

Tara stretched out her tired body, realizing for the first time that she must have fallen into an exhausted sleep. She also realized that Daryl was cuddled up next to her. She guessed they had both been dead tired and freezing last night. Otherwise, they never would have fallen asleep this close together. She gently pushed him away from her as she sat up slightly.

"Well...well...finally you sleeping beauties wake up," Abraham was standing over her with a shit eating grin on his face. Daryl moved next to her as he slowly woke up from his slumber.

Carol and Rick joined Abraham. "Too bad we don't have a camera. That would have made an adorable picture of our two resident badasses," Carol smiled as Tara just shook her head, still trying to wake up fully.

Daryl finally woke up with all the attention trained on him, and immediately moved away from Tara, embarrassed to be caught in that position.

"Hey! In our defense it was freezing last night and we needed the body heat," Tara laughed as she rolled away from Daryl.

"We ain't ever gonna live this down, are we?" Daryl asked as he stood up to stretch out his tired arms and legs. Their three friends laughed at them as Daryl helped Tara stand up.

"Nope. That was just too funny not to mess with y'all. Y'all looked so cute all cuddled up," Abraham teased as he watched Tara take a couple of steps. He hoped that she was doing better after what had happened last night. Tara smiled but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and he knew she was still processing everything with Maggie. That surprised him since because of her past, he thought she would be used to moving from woman to woman. Apparently Maggie was something special to her, which he understood. His late wife, Ellen, had been that special girl for him.

Tara's body was still exhausted from all the work and emotions she had experienced the day before but a few hours of sleep had helped a bit. Her knee was still injured as she experienced some pain from the few steps she took. Tara decided to keep it to herself. She knew if Rick found out, he would try to make her stay at camp and she definitely wasn't staying there all day.

Tara felt her heart ache when she spotted Maggie a few yards away. She was still laying down, wrapped up in the blanket. Tara wanted to go over to her, and see how she was feeling. Maggie had made it clear though that she didn't want anything from Tara so she kept her distance.

Tara had never experienced such heartache like this before. She definitely wasn't sure how she was going to survive without Maggie being hers. The one good thing in her life was now gone and she had effectively screwed up another relationship. Tara buried the pain before it could surface, compartmentalizing everything and putting up her walls.

Carol could see the internal struggle Tara was having with herself. She was hoping Tara would make the first move towards reconciling with Maggie, but that didn't seem to be happening anytime soon. Carol knew both of them were hurting for each other.

Rick took a look at Tara, knowing she needed to get away for a little while. "So Tara, Michonne, Daryl, and I will go out and try to find some kind of shelter so we can hold out for a week or so. Dependin' on the baby situation, we'll go from there," Rick told the others of the plan. With that, he and Daryl started to get ready to leave.

Tara felt Daryl pat her on the back, giving her some brotherly support. Tara felt her heart ache again at the mention of the baby. She really hoped the baby was alright, that was the only thing that kept her going right now.

Tara sighed sadly to herself, trying to figure out when exactly her world started to turn upside down. Yesterday morning she had everything going for her, now she wasn't even sure if she was still married or not. Tara guessed nothing lasted forever after all.

Tara gave Maggie another longing look before she turned to Carol, "How's she doing?"

"She's been awake for a couple of hours. She just wants to be left alone mostly. You know Maggie didn't mean what she said last night, right?" Carol looked at Maggie, knowing the young woman was hurting and scared about losing the baby she desperately wanted.

"Could have fooled me. Is she still bleeding?" Tara wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer, but she needed to make sure Maggie was alright. She still loved Maggie more than anything and that would never change.

"It's lessened up quite a bit which is a good thing. Everyone just wants to know if the baby is ok. That's our main concern," Carol told her. Tara closed her eyes for a split second as she felt a headache come on. At least there was some kind of good news for once. She hoped at least.

"That's good, I guess," Tara started to get ready to leave with the others. She got her weapons ready, and grabbed her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder.

Tara looked at Maggie, wondering if she should even bother saying goodbye. She knew she couldn't resist Maggie though, so she went over to the other woman. Kneeling down, Tara looked into Maggie's eyes, seeing them void of any emotions. She hated to see the love of her life so broken up.

"Hey, I'm gonna be headin' out to find shelter. I'll be back in a little bit," Tara let her hand rest on Maggie's side, wanting some kind of connection to her. She missed Maggie's touch, love, everything and it had only been a few hours. Tara could only imagine how miserable the rest of her life would be without Maggie by her side.

Maggie looked at her, "Ok." she said simply.

"Ok then. I guess I'll see you later," Tara sighed as she stood up, completely discouraged. She marched away, feeling her heart break with each step she took.

Maggie closed her eyes as she felt some tears build up. She wished she could run after Tara, and kiss her goodbye. Her body refused to move though, and she felt the love that was once hers slip away with each step Tara took away from her. Maggie wasn't sure how she could even look at Tara without her heart shattering into pieces. She just wanted to be safe in Tara's arms again, and just forget the world. Maggie knew no one would ever compare to Tara.

Rosita observed the scene between Maggie and Tara, knowing she had to try to help her friends through this. She ran after Tara, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"You know Maggie loves you. She's just scared because she feels like she's losing the baby. She feels like she's losing a part of herself and it's something difficult that she's going through. She thinks that she's letting you down if this is a miscarriage," Rosita tried to explain to Tara what Maggie was thinking since Tara could be clueless at times about emotions.

"She should let me be there for her instead of pushing me away. She's not the only one who's at risk for losing something. It's my kid too! I want to be a parent also! Now I don't even know if we're still together or not. It's just all fucked up!" Tara responded as she felt her anger start to rise. This was more than fucked up, this was a clusterfuck like no other.

Tara roughly jerked her arm out of Rosita's grasp as she went to go join Daryl, Rick, and Michonne. Rosita just sighed as she watched the taller woman march away. She just hoped that her friends could work this out before Tara did something stupid to really jeopardize their relationship.

"Ready to go?" Rick asked the others as they all nodded in agreement. Tara couldn't wait to get out of camp and be away from all of her problems for a little while.

"Can you watch out for Maggie? Make sure that she eats and drinks water?" Tara asked Abraham who vigorously nodded his head.

"You know Carol, Rosita, and I'll take care of her," Abraham reassured Tara as he threw an arm over her shoulders to gave her a bro hug.

"Thanks man," Tara gave him a weak smile in appreciation.

"Alright, let's head out," Rick directed as Daryl and Michonne followed him deeper into the woods. Tara gave Maggie one last yearning look for a few seconds before jogging to catch up to the others.

* * *

The small group explored their surroundings for about four hours, finding nothing of interest so far. Rick was leading the way with Daryl and Michonne following close behind him. Tara stayed in the back, keeping mostly to herself.

No one said much as they were all lost in their own thoughts. Rick was determined to find some kind of shelter for his group today. Hopefully, his family's dynamic would go back to normal. Right now, it was very fragile after what had happened last night with Gareth and the possible miscarriage. He could feel their motivation at an all time low.

Daryl was worried about Tara as he glanced back at her every so often. He tried to engage her in some small talk, but didn't get much of a response so he left her alone. Even the few dirty jokes he told her barely earned him a smile. Michonne, on the other hand, was concerned about how Maggie was holding up with everything.

Tara tried to keep her mind off of Maggie but it always wound up on the beautiful woman. She thought about the first time they had met; the first time they declared their feelings for each other. She remembered when Maggie told her that she was pregnant. Tara remembered how Maggie felt underneath her as they made love for countless hours into the night. Memories of the taste of Maggie's skin, her addicting smell, the feel of being sheathed fully inside of her invaded Tara's mind.

Tara closed her eyes as she tried to clear her mind of Maggie but nothing worked. Tara wished her sister was here to give her some advice on what to do. Lilly would have known what to do to help her get through to Maggie.

Tara felt horrible as she remembered all the girls whose hearts she had broken in the past. If she could, she would apologize to each and every one of them because this feeling was the worst.

Suddenly, her thoughts were broken by a cry for help in the distance.

"Help! Help! Help!" They all looked at each other as the screams for help rang out around them.

Rick started to run into the direction of the cries. The others followed right behind him. Tara grabbed her knife, ready for whatever danger waited for them.

The group ran until they came upon a large rock in a small clearing in the woods. On the rock was an African American man who was trying to kick off five walkers who surrounded him on all sides of the rock.

Tara saw from the black shirt and white collar that this man was some type of clergyman or something of that nature. Tara was not a religious person by any means. Her father had never said a word to her about religion, never had a bible in the house, and her family never went to church. It was something she never thought about much. In fact, this whole walker apocalypse and the loss of everyone she loved just proved to her more that there was no God.

The priest caught sight of Rick's group, "Please help me! Please!" he pleaded as the walkers kept reaching for his legs.

Rick looked at his group, thinking if he could trust this man or not. Instinct told him no. After what they had been through, Rick didn't want to expose his family to anyone he didn't know.

The man screamed for help as Rick decided on what to do. Should they help? Or leave him to die?

"Please...help me! I know where to get food. I have a church you can stay at if you need shelter!" the priest yelled, hoping to persuade the group to aid him.

This peaked Rick's interest as he weighed his options. His group needed food and shelter for at least a week. He turned to Tara and nodded his head to tell her that they should help this man out.

With that signal, Rick and Tara each grabbed a walker. Tara plunged her knife deep into the walker's head before moving onto the next one. Daryl and Michonne kept a watch out on the woods, making sure this wasn't some kind of cleverly devised trap.

After a couple of minutes, all of the walkers were dead, their bodies piled on the ground. The priest jumped off the rock, turning to look at the rotting bodies on floor. He looked at the group before turning around and throwing up. Tara just rolled her eyes at the man before her. Clearly, he didn't have the skills to survive in this world on his own.

The priest cleared out his mouth, spitting out what was left of his vomit. "I'm sorry...I just have a weak stomach," he said as he spat a few more times.

"You're here all alone? No weapons?" Rick interrogated him as he patted the priest down, looking for any hidden weapons.

"There's one other at the church. She's harmless though, waiting for her brothers to get back. And as for weapons...well praying and God's words are all I need," the priest smiled at them as he took in their rough forms.

"Didn't look like God's word was helpin' you out much," Tara sarcastically replied as she rolled her eyes at all his prayer crap.

"Well, it brought you here, right? You saved me. The Lord works in mysterious ways after all," the man simply answered her, giving a small smile.

"What's your name?" Rick asked the stranger. He still didn't trust him, looking at his group members he could tell they didn't either.

"I'm Father Gabriel Stokes. Please just call me Father or Gabriel. Your choice," Gabriel held out his hand to Rick, who shook it briefly.

"Where's this church of yours?" Daryl asked. He didn't care much for this fool in front of him but they needed a shelter for a few days. Those were few and far between now so they had to take what they could get.

"Just a few miles north from here. You're more than welcomed to check it out if you want," Father Gabriel offered as Rick glared at him, still trying to figure this guy out.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asked him in a steady voice.

"None, as you can see with my earlier display," Gabriel gave a small chuckle.

"How many people have you killed?" Rick asked, feeling that this guy was hiding something from them.

"Oh goodness none. Murder is wrong as stated in the Bible," Gabriel pulled out a small bible from his pocket, giving it a small kiss.

"We've all had to do something to survive. Everyone here standing before you has killed people to survive. You've had to have done something to survive," Rick grilled the priest, not believing for a second that this guy was as innocent as he was trying to play off.

"Well, I would rather confess my sins to God. Not strangers," Gabriel answered quickly, "Now, follow me if you would like to see my church."

"We'll check it out. We have to stay for few days, then we'll be leaving. We have more people a few miles back," Michonne told Gabriel as she sized him up. She wasn't exactly sure about his story yet, but knew if he threatened anyone in her family, she wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"You're more than welcomed to stay as long as you want. All of your group is. It's the least I can do after you saved my life," Gabriel said with a grateful look on his face. The group in front of him intimidated him greatly, but so far they hadn't tried to harm him. He sent a silent prayer to God that it would stay that way.

"How have you survived so long?" Tara asked the priest. This guy looked useless and void of any survival skills.

"I stayed barricaded in my church for months. I was lucky that our annual food drive happened around the same time as this disease did. So I was able to live off of those canned goods for awhile. Lately, I have been venturing out. Then a small group of three came to my church a few days ago. They were from Florida heading to North Carolina, searching for their brother or something like that. The girl had a hurt ankle and had to stay behind. Her brothers promised to come back after they found their older brother. Then they would be heading back to Florida to their main group," Gabriel explained as he led the way to his church.

Tara wasn't so sure about this guy. She didn't trust him at all or his bible ways. Tara felt like he was hiding something and she knew that Rick felt the same way. Tara vowed that if what he was hiding hurt Maggie in any way, she would personally kill him herself.

The group followed Father Gabriel for a few miles through the woods. The priest went on about God and how his religion helped him survive these last days. Tara just rolled her eyes at him, quickly shutting him out. She wasn't one to be preached to about stuff she didn't believe in.

Finally, they came to a clearing where a small, one-story, white church stood. It was nothing fancy and looked like any other ordinary church. There was an empty playground in the back which had seen better days.

"This is my church. I know it isn't much but it's God's house," Gabriel announced proudly as the others looked wearily at it. They were on high alert from past experiences, expecting something to charge at them at any second.

They all pulled their guns out as the front door suddenly opened. A young woman in her early twenties stepped out. Tara could see that this girl was beautiful with long black hair and piercing blue eyes. The girl immediately held her hands up in the air as she saw all the guns pointed at her.

"Please put your weapons down. That's the girl I was telling you about earlier. The one waiting for her brothers. Her name's Lisa," Gabriel said as Rick's group quickly lowered their guns.

"Sorry, we're just being cautious," Tara told the girl as she lowered her firearm.

"It's okay...I guess," Lisa said as she stared at Tara longer than necessary. Tara turned away, breaking the eye contact that they held.

"Daryl and Tara check out the inside. Michonne and I will check out the surrounding area," Rick ordered as he started to walk towards the side of the church.

"Sure thing, boss man," Tara replied as she and Daryl entered the church, guns drawn. They searched an office area, closets, bathrooms, and the pews, finding nothing interesting or dangerous.

As they were going back outside to join the others, Daryl stopped dead in his tracks. Tara also stopped, wondering what was wrong with Daryl. He gave her a look, one that she couldn't read.

"I know what you're thinkin' and don't," Daryl said in a stern voice. Tara looked at him with a confused look on her face.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" she asked, clearly not understanding what he was implying.

"I saw how you were lookin' at that chick. You better not do that to Maggie, I swear I'll kick your ass myself," Daryl threatened as he gave her another stern look.

"I wasn't looking at her in any way. And even if I was, it's not your fuckin' business. Fuck you!" Tara felt anger course through her body again. She also felt guilty because Daryl called her out on something she had been doing. She just checked Lisa out a bit, that wasn't cheating. Hell, Tara didn't even know for sure if Maggie still wanted to be with her.

"I'm just sayin'. I know you're hurtin' but you don't need to be chasin' pussy around," Daryl called out to her as she walked away from him. Tara ignored him as she stepped outside to join the others. Rick and Michonne were done with their perimeter check also, finding nothing suspicious.

"Do you have any weapons?" Rick asked Lisa. He was still trying to gauge how he felt about the young woman standing in front of him.

"Just my knife and I'm not that great with it," Lisa answered as she handed Rick her hunting knife.

"Do you mind if we search you for any hidden weapons?" Rick asked the young woman. She gave him an apprehensive look.

"It's ok, Lisa. They won't hurt you. They'll actually be staying here for a few days. They're just very untrusting," Gabriel reassured her, as Lisa nodded her head in consent.

Tara stepped forward, patting down Lisa's body, looking for any weapons that might be hidden. Tara tried to focus on the task at hand, and not the feel of the curves her hands briskly ran over.

"She's clean," Tara told Rick as he simply nodded his head, handing Lisa her knife back. Lisa gave Tara a look, trying to keep eye contact with the other woman, giving her a sly smile. Tara turned away, trying to figure out what the deal with Lisa was.

Rick looked at Lisa and then at Tara. He knew exactly what Lisa was trying to do, and that made him not like her instantly. Rick knew a hussy when he saw one, and it looked like this one had her sights set on Tara. He made the decision right at that moment that when they finally headed to Washington, Lisa would not be going with them. Rick was trying to get his family dynamic back to normal, not taint it further. He only hoped Tara wouldn't give into this girl.

"Everythin' looks good here. We should go get the others. You wanna go with me? I'm sure Maggie will be happy to see you," Rick asked Tara, hoping she would decide to go with him. He didn't trust Lisa if Tara stayed behind to guard the church.

"Yeah, right. Maggie doesn't want to see me. She made that perfectly clear last night. I'll just stay here," Tara told Rick as he shook his head in annoyance. He could only hope that Tara would be able to fight off any temptation this hussy threw at her.

"I'll go with ya," Daryl said as he joined Rick. He figured he might as well warn Carol and Rosita about this Lisa chick. Daryl had a feeling there would probably be a fight later if Carol had her way. He felt bad for Lisa if Carol ever got her hands on her.

"Alright then. Michonne and Tara keep watch over this place. Keep an eye on those two. We'll be back in a couple of hours with the others," Rick ordered as Tara and Michonne nodded in agreement.

The two watched as Daryl and Rick disappeared into the woods, their footsteps fading as the distance grew between them. Tara hoped Maggie was doing alright, and that the others were taking good care of her.

"Well, I'm going to go read my Bible until the others get here," Father Gabriel announced as he went inside the church.

"Will you be okay out here? I'll keep an eye on him," Michonne tilted her head in the priest's direction as she started to walk up the steps to the front door.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Tara said as she sat down on one of the steps. She wasn't prepared when Lisa took a seat right next to her.

Michonne gave Lisa a glare, not liking how close she was trying to get to Tara. "Be careful. You know what I'm talking about," Michonne told Tara as she disappeared into the church to see what Gabriel was up to.

Tara was confused. It seemed like all her friends were warning her about something. She knew Daryl was upset from earlier about her checking out Lisa but that had been innocent. They didn't really think that she would cheat on Maggie, did they? Just because there was a beautiful woman next to her, didn't mean Tara couldn't keep it in her pants. Or so she thought. The two sat in silence for about an hour as Tara's thoughts ran rampant in her head. She never noticed the looks that Lisa kept giving her.

Tara had to admit in the past, her track record wasn't the best. She had cheated in past relationships, either because she got bored or the opportunity presented itself. Tara had a bad habit of letting her other head think for her sometimes, but this was Maggie. Maggie was her girl, her one true love. Sure, they weren't on the best terms right now, but that didn't mean Tara was going to be unfaithful.

"You're married?" Lisa asked breaking Tara's thoughts. Tara looked at Lisa who was pointing at the wedding band on her finger.

"Yeah...it's kinda complicated right now," Tara answered, not sure why she gave out that much information.

"It's complicated. That used to be a Facebook choice for relationship status. Funny, how that stuff doesn't even matter anymore but you still remember it, huh?" Lisa replied as she gave Tara a smile.

"Yeah, I guess so," Tara said, not exactly sure where Lisa was going with this.

"Wife? Sorry, you just seem like a lesbian to me and usually I have great gaydar," the younger woman guessed as Tara laughed.

"You would be right. I have a wife...one who might be pregnant," Tara felt some sadness about the unknown status of peanut. She really hoped this week would go by fast, not knowing if Maggie was pregnant or not was killing her.

"How did your wife get pregnant if y'all are married?" Lisa asked out loud, wondering if that was the reason for the complicated status. If that was the case, she would have an easy time reeling Tara in. Lisa thought Tara was hot, and when Lisa wanted something she worked relentlessly until she got it, even if it was only for a few blissful minutes.

"I got her pregnant," Tara replied. Lisa gave her a confused look, thinking it over in her head. Suddenly, it dawned on her what Tara was implying. She gave Tara's crotch a glance, now she was really curious.

"Oh...I get what you're saying. That's pretty cool actually. It actually makes me very curious," Lisa licked her lips, gently biting down on her bottom one. Tara looked away, not wanting to admit that action turned her on a little.

"Yeah, it's no big deal," Tara said as she tried to scoot away from Lisa a bit. This was turning into a very bad situation. This could really get her into trouble not only with Maggie, but with everyone else in the group.

"Well, you know if you ever need help with anything I'm here. And I don't want anything more from you. I'm not going to try to join your group or anything. I'm staying here until my brothers get back which should be a few days from now. Either way I'm going back to Florida. Where are you guys heading?" Lisa was very curious about the woman sitting next to her. The more she talked to the Tara, the more she became determined to get some kind of action from her.

"We're going to Washington, DC. Trying to find some type of settlement up there," Tara was secretly glad Lisa wasn't interested in joining their group. She could only imagine how much drama that would cause. Although, she felt kind of bad for the girl. Hopefully, her brothers would be back for her soon.

"Well, if you ever want to have some uncommitted fun, I'm down. Your wife doesn't have to know," Lisa seductively said as she ran her hand up and down Tara's arm, smirking when she felt Tara's skin tingle underneath her fingertips.

Tara didn't know what to think. Here was this beautiful woman who was practically throwing herself at her and she didn't know why. Maybe Lisa was just really horny or something. If Maggie wasn't in the picture, this wouldn't even be a question. Tara would have made her move by now, but Maggie was still in the picture. All Tara could think about was the look of betrayal Maggie would have when she found out. The look she had given Tara over the whole Nicole thing had been bad enough.

Tara thought it over though. Having sex with Lisa would make her forget her problems for a little while. She had a few condoms in her backpack that she could use. She could always meet up for a quickie later with Lisa and no one would know about it. Once Tara realized what she was contemplating, she immediately pushed the temptations out of her mind. Tara would never hurt Maggie that way, no matter what they were going through. She needed to be strong not weak.

"Thanks and I'm flattered, I really am but I'm married. I can't," Tara replied not liking the look Lisa was giving her. It was look she knew well, one that said this wasn't the end of this conversation.

"That's what you say now, but I'm sure you'll change your mind. I know your type...can't stay faithful for too long. I haven't had sex in a couple of months, so I'm ready whenever you are," Lisa smirked as she placed her hand on Tara's knee, rubbing it slowly, moving her hand up a little.

'Damn, this girl doesn't quit,' Tara thought to herself as she felt Lisa's touch on her leg. She would be lying if she said it didn't feel good, but she had to stop it. Tara stood up, effectively getting Lisa's hands off of her for now.

"I'll let this go for now, but this isn't over. Not by a long shot," Lisa promised as she pulled Tara into a hug, kissing her lightly on the lips. The action took Tara by surprise and she was completely caught off guard.

Just at that moment, Rick and the others came out from the forest around the church. Maggie immediately spotted a mystery girl way too close to Tara for her liking. Maggie witnessed the girl rubbing Tara's leg, slowly inching her way up. She felt jealously fill her up as she watched the girl hug Tara and then kiss her.

'Who did this tramp think she was?! Putting her hands on Tara like that?! And kissing her?!' Maggie thought angrily as she felt some tears threaten to fall.

Tara realized that the others had arrived and immediately pushed Lisa away from her. Rosita shook her head, Tara was not making this easy for herself. She looked over at Maggie and could see she was breaking over this.

Everyone watched as Maggie marched over to Tara, angry at what she had just witnessed, "I'm going through a possible miscarriage and you're over here trying to hook up with the first slut we run into?" she spat furiously at Tara.

Lisa stood back, guessing the hot headed brunette was Tara's wife. She wanted to see where this would lead. If she played her cards right, she might be able to have Tara for a little while.

Tara held her hands up in surrender, "I swear that's not what I was doing! She came onto me but I told her no," Tara tried to explain her side of the story. She had to admit with what Maggie had just witnessed it didn't look good for her.

With all the yelling, Gabriel and Michonne came running outside to witness the scene in front of them. Rick and Daryl were ready to inject themselves into this if needed. Maggie looked like she was ready to tear Lisa's head off.

Abraham came up behind Maggie, ready to grab her if she decided to charge at the woman he didn't know. When he told Tara last night that an easy woman would make her feel better, he had been joking. Still, he couldn't help but find the scene in front of him a bit amusing. Tara always seemed to get herself into situations like these.

"Maggie, I swear I wouldn't do that to you or our unborn child. You know me better than that," Tara pleaded to Maggie, hoping to talk some sense into her.

"Sometimes I don't even think I know you anymore," Maggie cried as she felt the tears start to flow down her face.

"You know I wouldn't," Tara gently placed her hands on Maggie's face, wiping her tears away. Maggie looked into those brown eyes that she loved so much, knowing in an instant that Tara was telling the truth. She let Tara pull her into a hug, feeling Tara's arms securely around her. The others in the group were smiling as they witnessed the reconciliation before them. Rosita couldn't help but beam at the young couple in front of her, maybe things would work out for them after all.

"Yeah, until I get my hands on her. Tara won't even remember your name after I get through with her," Lisa smirked as she gave Maggie a cocky grin.

Lisa was used to winning. She was used to getting any man or woman she wanted, regardless of their relationship status. So far this wasn't going as she had planned.

Maggie couldn't hold her disdain for Lisa anymore. She lunged at the other woman, wanting to hurt her in any way she could. Tara grabbed her from behind, holding her close to her body. Rick roughly grabbed Lisa, who was also ready to fight.

"Maggie...baby...calm down. You don't want to jeopardize the baby," Tara told Maggie as she felt her calm down a bit. Maggie pulled away from Tara as she ran behind the church to calm down, away from the homewrecker.

Lisa watched as Tara followed Maggie away from everyone else. Lisa knew she should leave Tara alone, obviously she was dedicated to her wife. But Lisa wasn't a quitter and was used to being the other woman. Tara represented something she couldn't have, and that was something she wanted.

Rick let Lisa go, as he gave her a look of distrust. Carol walked up the young woman, determined that she had seen enough.

"You better leave those two alone. If you don't, I won't hesitate to hurt you," Carol narrowed her eyes at Lisa as she threatened her. Lisa wasn't sure if the older woman was serious or not. After having a stare off for a few seconds, she decided that Carol was serious.

"Fine. I'll stay out of your hair until my brothers get back," Lisa told Rick as she turned away to enter the church. She wasn't exactly sure if she would keep that promise but they didn't have to know that. Rosita glared at Lisa as she walked away. If Carol didn't hurt her, then she definitely would.

"That'd be appreciated," Rick called out to the young hussy as she turned to walk away. He hoped Maggie and Tara could work things out now. He was afraid that if they didn't, he would be losing a member of his group. He doubted Tara would stick around if they broke up, especially if they found out there was no longer a baby in the picture. Or she would leave for a while to clear her head. Rick knew he would be losing two members if that happened because he doubted Daryl would let her go alone.

Rick and the others could only hope that the young couple could work things out or find a way to be around each other if they decided to part ways.

* * *

Tara ran after Maggie. She found her sitting on the back porch steps of the church, sobbing to herself. Tara approached her cautiously. She wasn't exactly sure how Maggie felt about her and Tara didn't want to get slapped again.

Tara knelt down in front of her, reaching out to gently stroke Maggie's arm. Maggie didn't push her away, which Tara took as a good sign.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with all that. I just met the girl a few hours ago and I swear I don't want to sleep with her," Tara explained as Maggie gave her a look that broke Tara's heart.

Tara sighed, "I thought about it though. Only for a few seconds but I still thought about it. Only because I don't know if we're even still together or not."

Tara watched helplessly as Maggie began to cry harder. She hated being the reason for Maggie's tears. She was supposed to be the one Maggie counted on, not the one who made her cry.

"Maggie, do you even still want to be with me?" Tara wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. Maggie had the power to effectively break her heart into a million pieces right now.

Maggie stayed silent as she continued to sob to herself. With each passing second, Tara could feel a little piece of herself die. The love she had shared with Maggie seemed so far away from her right now, she wasn't ready to face the reality. Tara stood up, her body not ready for Maggie's answer.

"Say something, Maggie. Please...say anything. I don't want to give up on you, but if you want me to, I will," Tara didn't want to believe it had come to this. She didn't want to give up on this relationship. Maggie still didn't say anything.

"Please baby...don't make me say goodbye to us. We can work through this. I can't imagine my life without you, especially after experiencing your love, touch, your everything. You're the one that I love...I can't say goodbye. I don't want to say goodbye," Tara quickly swallowed her pride, knowing that she was begging Maggie now. She didn't care though, the whole group could hear this and she wouldn't care. Tara just wanted Maggie to see that she was the only one for her.

"Even if we lose the baby, we can get through it. We're strong but together we're even stronger. Please...Maggie...don't do this to me. You're the one for me...only you. Every woman I've ever been with doesn't compare to you. Nothing compares to you. Nothing else matters except you. Please...I can't live without you," Tara felt some tears fall down her face, she quickly wiped them away.

"I can't..." Maggie choked out before a sob overtook her body. Tara couldn't believe what she heard. Maggie said she can't. Maggie can't be with her.

"Just know that I won't ever stop loving you," Tara said as she turned away from Maggie, her heart shattering in her chest. Her body felt weak as reality set in. She would have to face this cruel world alone without Maggie. Tara let her body hit the ground as she fell down onto the grass, all the strength she once had gone. She felt so small right now, another piece of her heart gone. Her dad, Lilly, Meghan, Glenn, now Maggie...this world just kept taking from her.

Tara covered her face as she felt the tears start to fall. This loss seemed to hurt the most, she felt so hollow right now. She had everything at one point and now she had nothing. Maggie had touched her heart, her soul. Tara's life had changed because of Maggie. Tara had kissed Maggie's lips, shared her dreams, shared her bed, her love. Tara wasn't sure how she would break the addiction Maggie had her in.

Tara could only hope that Maggie would remember everything they used to be as she moved on. Moving on...Tara couldn't even imagine doing that after so many of her hopes and dreams just went down the drain. Tara couldn't imagine moving on after watching Maggie cry, smile, knowing her fears, watching her sleep. She had wanted a lifetime with Maggie, had wanted children with her. Now all of that was over. Tara had to say goodbye to her lover, her friend. Her everything.

Nothing could ever have prepared Tara for this much hurt. Maggie had been the one for her...was still the one for her. She didn't want to face a life without Maggie or the possibility of seeing Maggie with someone else. Tara figured she would be alone for the rest of her miserable life because no one could ever compare to what Maggie had been to her. The hollow feeling Tara felt took over her body as she let her head hang down, not wanting anyone to see how broken she was right now.

Suddenly, Tara felt a presence drop down next to her. It was a presence she knew well. Maggie. Tara felt Maggie wrap her arms around her. Tara didn't have the strength to fight her off so she let Maggie hold her.

"Did you hear me? I know I was having some trouble crying and talking at the same time. But Tara, I said I can't live without you. I need you...I don't want to be without you," Maggie cried as she held Tara close.

Upon hearing those words, Tara felt her heart fill with hope. She sat up a bit to look at Maggie, "You mean you aren't breaking up with me?"

"No! I couldn't live without you...just the thought of it makes me want to cry more," Maggie said as her tears started to flow harder just thinking about Tara not being hers.

Tara wiped the tears from her eyes before she collided her lips against Maggie's soft ones, wanting to taste all of her. Maggie eagerly kissed her back, feeling all the emotions from the past day come out in a flow of passion.

Maggie licked Tara's lips, softly biting her bottom lip. She didn't want to live in a world where she wouldn't be able to kiss Tara's lips whenever she wanted. Maggie moaned into Tara's mouth, as Tara's tongue explored her mouth. She felt Tara's hands as they roamed all over her body, touching every inch that she could.

Maggie knew what she wanted, she needed to feel Tara in that instant. She reached between them, gently rubbing Tara's hardening dick. She moaned when she felt Tara respond to her touch. Maggie wanted to feel Tara deep inside of her, to feel the intimacy no one got to experience but her.

"I need you..." Maggie pleaded as she gently bit Tara's neck causing her to groan in pleasure.

"Ok baby..." Tara said simply as she stood up, reaching down, she helped Maggie up. Tara led Maggie into the woods where they wouldn't be interrupted. After checking to make sure they were alone, Tara roughly pushed Maggie up against a tree. She was going to show Maggie how much she loved her.

Tara immediately resumed kissing those soft lips that she loved so much. Tara felt Maggie rubbing herself against her hard dick, making it rise in Tara's jeans. Maggie forced her tongue into Tara's mouth as they dueled for dominance. Tara won, as she pushed Maggie back against the tree.

Tara quickly unbuttoned Maggie's jeans, reaching in to feel the wetness that awaited her. "Fuck..." Tara muttered when she felt how wet Maggie was for her. She rubbed Maggie's clit, rolling the sensitive nub between her fingers. Maggie cried out in pleasure, as Tara touched her, making her body tremble for more.

Tara could feel her pulsing erection straining against her jeans. She needed Maggie at that moment, she couldn't wait another second. Tara quickly unbuckled her belt, undoing her jeans, letting her dick spring free from its restraints. Maggie rubbed her length, her hand slowly going up and down. Just feeling Maggie's soft touch was enough to get her hard on throbbing more. Tara was pretty sure her dick grew even more just from Maggie touching it.

Tara lifted Maggie up as the other woman wrapped her legs around Tara's waist. Tara kept eye contact with Maggie as she slowly slid her length inside of Maggie's warm wetness. They both moaned as Tara penetrated her, letting all the inches become buried inside of Maggie.

Maggie leaned forward, roughly kissing Tara. She moaned and gasped as she felt Tara bury herself deep inside of her. God, Tara couldn't get enough of being hilt deep inside of Maggie.

Tara let Maggie adjust to her size for a couple of minutes, feeling the tightness all around her, squeezing her dick. She kept still, letting her cock get coated in Maggie's slick wetness. Tara kept her emotions under control because all she wanted to do right now was fuck Maggie relentlessly but she knew Maggie needed this to be slow and loving.

Maggie felt herself stretch to accommodate Tara's large size, she closed her eyes feeling the sensation fill her body. Slowly, Tara started to thrust herself in and out of Maggie. Pulling out until only her tip was inside, then burying herself again with another thrust.

"Oh...Tara...Tara..." Maggie cried out in pleasure with each thrust Tara took. This was a feeling she would never get tired of, feeling Tara's large, hard cock invade her body over and over again.

Tara grunted as she kept her thrusts slow and steady at first. One arm was wrapped around Maggie's waist, helping guide her dick into Maggie repeatedly. The other was placed against the tree behind them, helping keep their balance. Tara could feel the strain against her muscles, but she ignored the feeling. Instead, she concentrated on the feeling of Maggie's walls clamping down around her.

Maggie started to thrust down on Tara's hard cock, as Tara thrusted up which caused her to go even deeper into Maggie's wet bliss. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, moaning into her mouth as they shared kiss after kiss. Their thrusts became more urgent and intense as they both felt the need to come build up inside themselves.

Tara kept up the intensity of her strokes, knowing that Maggie was close. Maggie began to dig her nails into Tara's shoulders as she felt that amazing feeling invade her body. Tara picked up the speed as she felt Maggie's pussy begin to throb and pulse around her cock.

"Oh...god...Tara!" Maggie screamed out Tara's name in ecstasy as her body trembled in bliss. Tara felt a gush of wetness coat her cock, making it slide easier into Maggie. Feeling Maggie's reaction set Tara off, her balls tightening and then releasing a steady stream of cum into Maggie. Their bodies shuddered as they jerked together in final release, Maggie making sure every drop was milked out of Tara.

Maggie collapsed against Tara, feeling all the strength leave her body with that intense orgasm. Tara held her close, still buried deep inside of her. Maggie placed a few soft kisses against Tara's neck.

"I love you so much. I'm so sorry about everything," Maggie whispered into Tara's ear. She felt a few tears escape her eyes as she realized what she could have lost.

"Shhh...don't cry baby. I love you so much. Don't cry anymore, baby. We'll be ok, no matter what happens. You know my heart will never deny you," Tara whispered to Maggie, loving the feel of having the love of her life in her arms again.

The couple stayed in their current position for a few minutes, just relishing the feeling of being together again. Tara reluctantly pulled out of Maggie, knowing that if they didn't head back to the church that Rick would send a search party out for them, especially with the night sky starting to slowly set in.

"Hey babe, we need to get dressed and head back before the others start to worry," Tara told Maggie as she gave her a small kiss. Maggie sighed with displeasure, she really didn't want to leave this small paradise they had built. Plus, she wasn't looking forward to seeing Lisa again. Lisa had better keep her hands off of Tara or else she would have another thing coming.

"Ugh, I don't want to see that skank again," Maggie watched as Tara pulled up her jeans, adjusting herself before zippering up. Maggie followed her lead, quickly getting dressed also.

Tara chuckled, "You're really cute when you get all jealous." Tara couldn't help but tease Maggie.

"I'm just sayin' if she tries anything with you, I will personally kill her myself," Maggie felt that jealously again as she thought of Lisa trying to seduce Tara.

"I'm sure Carol and Rosita are way ahead of you, babe," Tara laughed as she held her hand out for Maggie. Maggie immediately interlaced her fingers with Tara's, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Tara led Maggie back through the woods, towards the church. She was glad that her and Maggie were on better terms than they were just a few hours ago. Tara knew they had to still to talk about the possible miscarriage, but that could wait until later. Right now, she wanted to feel some happiness after suffering one of the worst nights of her life.

* * *

Rick let out an audible sigh of relief as he saw Tara and Maggie emerge from the woods. The group had noticed that they had disappeared a few minutes ago, and he was starting to worry.

Lisa was accounted for so he knew Tara wasn't off with her, but he felt uneasy not knowing if Maggie and Tara were alright. Especially, if they were having another fight. Rick was pretty sure Tara could keep her anger under control around Maggie but he didn't want either of them to get hurt.

Rick let a small smile grace his face as he saw that the young couple were holding hands. He figured they had worked out their problems which would bode well for his group. Rick definitely wasn't prepared to lose anyone.

"Where have you guys been? We were startin' to get worried," Rick told them as they approached him.

"We were workin' things out," Tara simply said as a smile came on her face thinking about what had just transpired in the woods.

"Well, I'm glad you two seem to be doin' better now. Come on, get somethin' to eat and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day of explorin' the nearby town," Rick informed them as he led the way to the church.

Daryl was sitting on the front steps, smoking a cigarette. Tara knew she had to talk to him after their little spat earlier. They hadn't really talked much after that, and she realized she missed having her wingman by her side.

Tara turned to Maggie, giving her a quick kiss, "I'll be in there in a few minutes. I have to talk to Daryl real quick."

"Okay...don't take too long," Maggie smiled as she followed Rick into the church, ready to give her girlfriends the good news that Tara and her were working things out.

Tara waited until Rick and Maggie were in the church, the door closing behind them. She gave Daryl a glance as he looked up her.

"I'm sorry about being a prick earlier. I was just mad that you were calling me out on something I shouldn't have been doing. I'm sorry, bro." Tara apologized as she held her hand out for Daryl to shake.

Daryl gave her a look as he stood up, ignoring her hand. Instead, he smiled and wrapped his arms around her as he gave her a quick hug.

"It's all good. I know I can be a dick sometimes too, and you put me in my place. I do the same for you. It's why we get along so well," Daryl accepted the apology, glad that they were on good terms again. He couldn't stay mad at his best friend for too long.

"You and Maggie doin' ok now?" Daryl asked as Tara smiled like an idiot. He guessed that meant a yes.

"Yeah, we're gonna be alright," Tara thought about Maggie waiting for her inside the church. It had only been a few minutes but she already missed her wife's presence.

"Good. Now stay away from the hussy or I'll really kick yer ass," Daryl threatened with a smile on his face.

"I don't know, Daryl. She might go for you if you play your cards right," Tara teased as Daryl just shook his head.

"Naw...I ain't goin' there," Daryl said as they both laughed, walking into the church together, both in good spirits.

The evening was uneventful for the most part as they enjoyed each other's company. They were all happy that their family dynamic seemed to be growing stronger. Of course, the possible miscarriage was still on everybody's minds but they still hoped for the best. Rick had built a small fire in the church's chimney which caused a warm glow to cascade throughout the room.

Lisa kept her distance from the group after getting glares from Carol and Rosita. Every so often, she would allow herself to look at Tara who was sitting against the wall on the opposite side of the room. Maggie was seated on her lap and they seemed happy together. She guessed they had worked out whatever problems that had plagued them earlier. Still, she wasn't that easily persuaded to give up.

Father Gabriel explained to the group how the homeless shelter in town would have plenty of food for them. Rick and his group were still trying to figure the priest out, but they believed they could trust him on that. Gabriel told them there were about twenty walkers in that building, which was nothing they couldn't handle. Rick outlined the plan which everyone agreed to. Even Father Gabriel reluctantly agreed to lead Rick, Tara, Daryl, and Sasha to the building.

After a couple of hours, everyone decided it was time to get some rest to prepare for tomorrow. Rick made sure the doors to the church were locked, making sure that no could get in. He still wasn't one hundred percent sure Gabriel wasn't trying to trap them, so he stayed up a little longer to keep an eye out for trouble.

Tara and Maggie took one corner of the church to get some rest. Tara laid down on the hard floor, while Maggie cuddled into her. Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie, and just held her close. She had missed being with Maggie the other night, now she was sure to cherish every second.

After a while, Tara thought Maggie had fallen asleep so she decided to close her eyes and try to get some rest. Just as she was shutting her eyes, she heard Maggie sniffle against her.

Tara sat up slightly to see that Maggie was trying to hold some tears back. Tara gently wiped her tears away.

"What's wrong?" Tara asked in a low voice so she wouldn't disturb anyone.

"I'm just scared about the baby. I keep holding onto hope that it's okay, but I'm scared of finding out the truth. And these days are going to go by slow...I just wish I could know now. Sometimes I feel like she or he is still in there and sometimes I don't. I just don't want to let you down because I know how much you were looking forward to having a kid," Maggie tried to hold back the tears but they continued to fall.

"Hey, you could never let me down. No matter what happens, it's not your fault. Sometimes things aren't meant to be. But we'll get through this together no matter the outcome. Yes, it will hurt if we lose our little peanut but we'll have each other to see it through. We've been through so much together, it will just make us stronger," Tara wanted Maggie to see that no matter what she would never blame her for the miscarriage.

"You know I love you more than anything, right?" Tara asked as Maggie nodded her head. She wiped some more tears away from Maggie's face before leaning in to give her a passionate kiss.

"Nothing will ever change that," Tara promised as she laid back down, pulling Maggie into her warm embrace. Maggie immediately resumed her cuddled up position, feeling that with Tara by her side she would get through this hard time.

"I love you too," Maggie whispered as placed a soft kiss on Tara's neck, feeling safe in Tara's arms. She felt like she could forget the world for just a little while in Tara's comforting embrace.

The couple stayed silent as they basked in the glow of each other's love until a restful slumber took over. The future for their growing family was unknown and fearful at times. The uncertainty of the status of their unborn child loomed heavily on their minds, but the couple knew that no matter how the situation played out that they would have each other to lean on. They both hoped for a good outcome, not wanting the reality of losing something else they loved to come true.

* * *

You guys didn't really think I would break them up, did you? No way! Maggie and Tara are my OTP no matter what happens on the show. :) Lisa might have some tricks up her sleeve tho...

This chapter's song is "Say Something" by A Great Big World.

Thank you so much for all the reviews and love. Y'all always keep me motivated to write, especially my anonymous reviewer. You're so awesome...and I'm sorry I made you cry last chapter. I'll give you a hug to make up for it. :)

Anyways, thanks again for all the love!


	13. Open Arms

The next morning, Tara woke up feeling a lot more rested than she did the day before. She smiled when she saw Maggie was still cuddled up against her, sleeping soundly. Tara noticed that everybody was up and about so she decided to get up. She gently extracted herself from Maggie's sleeping form, making sure her wife was covered up with the blanket.

Tara leaned down, giving Maggie a kiss on the head before heading outside to see what everyone was up to. She saw Daryl and Rick were getting the weapons loaded and ready for this afternoon's run. Tara joined them, as she helped prepare the automatic rifles.

"Sleep good? How's Maggie?" Rick asked as all three of them worked effortlessly together.

"Yeah, I slept pretty good. Maggie is still out like a light," Tara said as she thought about how cute Maggie looked when she slept. She always looked so peaceful; Tara could watch her sleep for hours if she could.

"Well, Maggie's body is going through a lot right now. We'll let her get as much rest as she can before we head out to the town. Don't worry Carol and Rosita will watch out for her, " Rick assured Tara as she nodded her head.

Daryl offered her a cigarette, which she gladly accepted. A few yards away, she noticed that Lisa was looking at her. Tara quickly turned away, that was something she did not want to get mixed up in again.

Last night, the group had decided that while Tara, Daryl, Rick, and Sasha were raiding the local homeless shelter with Father Gabriel's guidance, that the rest of the members would search throughout the buildings in a neighboring town to see what they could salvage. Eugene had opted to stay behind at the church with Carl and Judith, which Rick decided was a good idea.

Maggie would be going out with Carol and Rosita, which put Tara at ease. She knew they wouldn't let anything happen to Maggie. Tara knew Maggie could hold her own, but she was still very protective of her. Even more so, since Maggie might still be pregnant. Tara was sure that her protectiveness over Maggie was something that would never change.

"Sounds good. I gotta take a piss. I'll be back," Tara said as she flicked her finished cigarette away, walking into the woods to get some privacy.

She stood in front of a tree, unzipping her jeans. She relaxed as she quickly relieved herself, thinking about the run they were going to do today. Just as Tara was finishing up, and going to zip up her jeans, she felt a sudden presence beside her.

"Wow...I didn't think you would be that big," Lisa suddenly said, as she took in Tara's full size.

"What the fuck? You don't sneak up on people like that! That could get you killed," Tara said angrily as she turned to face Lisa.

Lisa wasn't paying any attention to her as she continued to stare at Tara's crotch. Tara suddenly realized that her dick was still exposed, so she quickly adjusted herself and zipped up her jeans.

"You know my offer still stands. I don't care if you have a wife. I'll do stuff that I'm sure she won't," Lisa wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Tara just shook her head. "I told you I'm not interested. And I never will be."

Tara was starting to get frustrated with Lisa. The woman just wouldn't get off of her nuts, and she didn't need any more trouble. Especially when things with Maggie were starting to be good again.

"That's what you say now. But if you ever get bored, just come find me. I'll make it worth your while," Lisa licked her lips as she softly cupped Tara.

Tara jumped back in surprise, quickly chastising herself when she felt her dick twitch. The thing had a mind of its own at times, and now was not a good time.

Lisa smirked when she felt that twitch. "See? I'm not the only one who wouldn't mind."

Tara got out of Lisa's grip, walking away to join the rest of the group. Lisa followed her, keeping back a couple of feet. She definitely wasn't giving up on Tara anytime soon. So far, Tara seemed like her only chance to get her rocks off. She wasn't interested in anyone else in Rick's group.

Tara came out of the woods, followed by Lisa. Daryl and Rick both gave Tara a stern look as she rejoined their group. Lisa walked by them, giving Tara a teasing wink.

"Don't ask," Tara said in annoyance. She really wished Lisa would just take the hint and leave her alone.

"You weren't up to no good, were ya?" Daryl asked anyway. He thought Tara would know better, but wasn't so sure after that flirty wink Lisa had sent her way.

"No! Of course not! She just won't leave me the fuck alone. No matter how many times I tell her no," Tara sighed. This woman just wouldn't take no for an answer. Tara knew this type of girl well, usually she would just fuck them to get them away, but that wasn't exactly an option here.

"Well, that's a home-wrecker for ya," Rick laughed as Tara just rolled her eyes at him.

They watched as Maggie came out of the church and caught sight of Lisa. The two women had a stare off for a minute; Maggie glared at Lisa. Lisa gave her a cocky grin as she turned away.

"We just gotta make sure those two aren't left alone together for too long until Lisa finally leaves. I would hate to see the destruction," Rick said as he observed the scene in front of him. He was prepared just in case a fight broke out.

Daryl and Tara nodded in agreement. They were pretty sure Maggie would kill Lisa if she had the chance to, but none of them wanted Maggie to overreact since she was still in a delicate condition.

"I'm sure Carol or Rosita will take care of Lisa if she don't learn to behave. They don't want the baby gettin' hurt," Daryl was pretty sure Carol was already scheming on how to take out Lisa.

"Fuck...I wish this week would go by fast. I just want to know if the baby is still around. Plus, I know Maggie is very anxious to know also. I know the wait is killin' her," Tara lamented. She knew the health of the baby was something that was constantly on Maggie's mind.

"We can only hope for the best. That's all we're hangin' on right now. Everyone is just hopin' the baby is alright," Rick told Tara, letting his friend know that her and Maggie weren't alone in this.

"Looks like we can leave here soon. I'll go tell everyone to get ready to head out," Rick patted Daryl and Tara on the back before heading off to instruct the others.

"Alright man. I'm gonna go get my stuff ready. See ya in a few," Tara told Daryl as she gave him a quick fist bump.

Tara walked over to Maggie, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman for a hug. She leaned down to place a chaste kiss on Maggie's lips.

"How are you feelin' babe?" Tara asked as Maggie snuggled into her. The morning was unusually cool, and Tara could tell that Maggie was cold. Maggie was slightly shivering, her skin cool to the touch.

"I'm ok. Just tired and freezing," Maggie complained as she tried to snuggle deeper into Tara, seeking out any extra warmth that could be found. She slipped her hands under Tara's shirt, welcoming the warm skin that graced her fingertips.

"Well, that's not good. I can't have my girl be all cold. Come on," Tara took Maggie's hand, guiding her back into the church. She grabbed her backpack, digging through it until she pulled out a black hoodie.

"Here you go, babe. That should keep you warm," Tara handed the hoodie to Maggie, who immediately put it on.

"What about you? Aren't you cold?" Maggie asked with concern lacing her voice.

"Nah. I'm fine. I just want to make sure you're comfortable," Tara said as she took in the sight before her. Maggie looked absolutely gorgeous that morning, even with her hair slightly messed up and her clothes disheveled. Tara realized just how lucky she was to have Maggie as her own. It was something she would never take for granted again.

Maggie realized that Tara was staring intently at her. She felt herself start to blush under Tara's gaze, wondering why she was so focused on her.

"What?" Maggie asked after a couple of minutes.

Tara simply smiled. "Nothin'. You're just so beautiful and I'm so lucky to have you."

"You're such a sweet talker," Maggie giggled as she felt her blush deepen. Hearing Tara say that meant everything to her. Maggie didn't want to admit it, but she was feeling a bit insecure with Lisa being around.

"It's the truth. You're the most gorgeous woman in the world, and I'm so lucky that you want to be with me. Let's face it, babe. You're definitely out of my league," Tara laughed as Maggie shook her head.

"Yeah right. It seems like there's a different woman throwing themselves at you wherever we go," Maggie said as she remembered Nicole and now Lisa.

"It's just cuz I ooze of that sexy confidence that they dig," Tara joked as Maggie couldn't hold back her laughter.

"You're such a dork," Maggie chuckled as Tara just gave her a goofy smile, one that she found very endearing.

"True. But I'm your dork," Tara agreed as she gently pulled Maggie closer to her. Tara didn't care how many women threw themselves at her; Maggie would be the only one for her.

Tara gently put her hand on Maggie's stomach. She had refrained from doing so these last few days since they weren't certain that the baby hadn't been lost, but she couldn't stop herself at that moment.

"How are you feelin' today?" Tara asked, knowing Maggie would know what she meant.

"Today, I feel like the baby's alright. I'm still holding onto hope that he or she is still ok. I can't give up so easily. I mean it's my baby. Our baby," Maggie said as she felt herself tear up.

Maggie hadn't realized how much she wanted this baby until it was threatened to be lost. She wanted nothing more than to be a mother, and know that her baby would be alright. Maggie had to admit that she was scared and overwhelmed at first. This baby had definitely not been planned, but she felt an immediate connection and bond to her child. Now, she could only hope and pray that their baby wasn't gone.

Maggie also didn't want to disappoint Tara. She knew Tara would never blame her for a miscarriage, but she would feel a tremendous amount of guilt if she lost their baby. Especially after Tara had seemed so ready and excited to be a parent.

Tara could tell Maggie was deep in thought about the baby. She watched as Maggie's eyes teared up, one tear escaping and falling down her face.

Tara gently wiped the tear away. "Hey...it's ok. We'll find out for sure in a few days. And remember no matter what happens, we have each other. You and me forever," Tara promised as she gently lifted Maggie's chin up, guiding their lips into a passionate kiss.

"I love you," Maggie whispered between delicious kiss after kiss, not wanting to stop the feel of Tara's lips on hers.

"I love you, too," Tara said gently as she moved her right hand to the nape of Maggie's neck, seizing her lips once again in an urgent kiss.

This kiss was more powerful, more passionate. One that sent heat throughout Maggie's body, butterflies in her stomach, and took her breath away all at the same time. Maggie didn't want to break contact with Tara, and as if realizing what she wanted, her hands moved to ball themselves up in Tara's hair. Maggie parted her lips slightly to let Tara's tongue explore her mouth. Her own tongue feeling the pure pleasure of exploring Tara's mouth as Tara's hand traveled from the small of Maggie's back and into her hair.

Maggie could feel how excited Tara was getting as she felt an erection poke her body, wanting to thrust into her. Maggie herself was getting turned on as she felt the wetness soak her panties. She gently gripped Tara through her jeans, feeling how solid she was.

They were both so into the moment, so into each other, that they were oblivious to the other presence that had entered the room.

"Ahem..." Daryl simply said, catching the young couple's attention, as they quickly stopped what they were doing.

"Sorry to mess up your fun time but Rick says it's time to get going," Daryl apologized as he watched Tara and Maggie try to calm down from their intense make out session.

"Thanks for being a cock block," Tara muttered. Her cock was throbbing for release that it wasn't going to get, pain settling in as she felt the sensation of blue balls take over.

"Just doin' my job. Now hurry it up. I'm sure you can get down to business in less than a minute. I'm sure Maggie's used to that," Daryl laughed as Tara glared at him.

"Hey! I'm not a minute man. I can last for awhile," Tara defended as Maggie laughed at the banter between the two friends.

"Yeah...maybe two minutes," Daryl joked as Tara just shook her head.

"You're lucky I can't kick your ass right now," Tara laughed as she tried to hide the fact that she had a raging hard on.

"Seriously though, it's time to go. So walk it off," Daryl laughed as he headed outside, crossbow in one hand.

"You ok?" Maggie asked as she realized Tara seemed a little in pain.

"Yeah, just a case of blue balls. It will go away in a couple of minutes," Tara assured Maggie, as she stood up straight. Tara hoped her erection wasn't as noticeable as she felt it start to dwindle down.

"Come on, let's head out before Rick gets impatient," Tara took Maggie's hand, guiding her outside to where the rest of the group was waiting.

Rick laid out the plan once again, as everyone agreed to it. They all grabbed their weapons, making sure they were fully loaded. Rick, Tara, Daryl, Sasha, and Father Gabriel were going to the local homeless shelter which was located in a small building a few miles out of town.

"I'm gonna go with Rick's group. They might need help carrying stuff back," Lisa announced as Carol, Rosita, and Maggie glared at her. Lisa just gave them one of her infamous cocky grins.

Before Rick or Tara could say no, Father Gabriel spoke up, oblivious to the tension between Lisa and Rick's group. "I think that would be a good idea. It would put me at ease to be with someone I have known for a while."

Rick sighed in annoyance. He needed the priest to lead the way. He also needed Tara since she was the best runner that he had. Rick guessed he would have to deal with Lisa this afternoon since it looked like she was tagging along with his small group. He would have asked Maggie to join his group also, but walkers supposedly overran the building and he didn't want her in harm's way.

"Fine. You can join us. Just don't get in the way," Rick told Lisa through gritted teeth. Lisa smiled in triumph as she turned to look at Maggie, wanting the other woman to know she had just won this round.

Maggie could feel herself get angry about how cocky Lisa was acting. She also hated the idea that Lisa would be around Tara all afternoon. She trusted Tara, but she didn't trust that hussy as far as she could throw her. Maggie had seen how Lisa looked at Tara, she knew Lisa was just waiting for the right moment to strike.

Carol angrily marched up to the Lisa with Rosita right behind her. "You try anything funny, and I will hurt you."

Lisa simply shrugged at the older woman. "I'll keep that in mind. I doubt you will do anything."

"Yeah, try something and see how serious I am," Carol narrowed her eyes at the younger woman before turning away. The rest of the group witnessed the scene as they stayed out of Carol's way.

Daryl laughed to himself about how brazen Lisa was acting. This girl definitely didn't know that she was playing with fire. He was pretty sure Carol could snap her in half with one hand if she wanted to.

Tara went up to Maggie, kissing her lips softly. "Don't worry about Lisa. You know I have no interest in her. You can trust me."

"Oh I trust you. It's just that skank I don't trust," Maggie said loudly, hoping Lisa could hear every word she said. She went to join Carol and Rosita as they got ready to leave.

Abraham stood beside Tara, snickering at what Maggie said. "You lucky son of a bitch. You've got two beautiful women fighting over you. You know how many guys would kill to be in your position?" he asked Tara.

"It's not all that it's cracked up to be," Tara admitted, wishing that Lisa's brothers would hurry up and come get her. Her life was already complicated enough without all this extra drama.

"Alright, let's head out," Rick told his group as he started to follow the directions that Father Gabriel pointed out.

Tara quickly ran to Maggie, giving her a kiss goodbye. "Be careful out there. I love you," Tara said as she gave her wife a hug, holding on a little longer.

"I love you too. I'll be careful. Besides, I'm with Carol and Rosita. Now hurry up before you get left behind. And let me know if that slut tries anything," Maggie added on the last part as Tara laughed.

"I will, babe," she called out to Maggie as she started to jog to catch up to her group. Tara really wanted to get this run over with so she could be in Maggie's loving presence again.

Rick's small group headed into the woods, with Father Gabriel leading the way. The priest talked about his faith and God; how they should trust in the Lord. Rick pretended like he was listening, wearily looking around at his surroundings.

The whole group was still on high alert, even though Rick was pretty sure Gabriel wasn't a threat. He knew the priest was hiding something, but he couldn't figure out exactly what that secret was. Until Gabriel told them what he was hiding, Rick would always find him suspicious.

Tara hung around in the back, keeping a watch out for walkers or any other enemies. She hoped Maggie was being safe checking out the neighboring town for any supplies. Tara could admit that she was overprotective of Maggie, but she meant well. Tara didn't know what she would do if anything ever happened to Maggie.

Tara let her thoughts wander to the time when shortly after Glenn's death, her only focus was making sure Maggie was taken care of. It had been a hard time for both them, dealing with Glenn's death in their own ways...

* * *

_Tara had just gotten back from a quick run into a neighboring town with Daryl. The two were still trying to find their rhythm, and see how they would work together. So far, they had gotten along well when they needed to. Tara even had to admit, when she got Daryl to talk, he was a pretty cool dude. Although, their rapport was no where near the level she had with Glenn._

_Before Glenn's death, she had talked to Daryl a few times but he never really warmed up to her. Going on run after run with him, had forced both of them to let their guard down around each other. The more she learned about Daryl, the more she knew they would eventually be great friends. Maybe even best friends one day._

_Although, she did feel a bit guilty. She didn't want Glenn to think she had replaced him too soon. No matter what happened, Glenn would always be her number one brother. Tara missed Glenn more than anything; she missed his jokes, humor, smile, kindness, everything._

_Glenn had only been gone for a couple of weeks, and Tara wasn't sure if the hurt would ever go away. She missed the long talks they would have during night watches. She missed joking around with him, dogging each other with playful insults. Tara missed his unconditional friendship and his calming presence._

_Guilt still plagued Tara, thinking if only she had been there a few minutes earlier, Glenn would still be alive. Every time she looked at Maggie, she was struck with the guilt. She didn't know if she would ever be able to move on from it. Maggie didn't blame her for what happened, but that didn't mean that she didn't blame herself._

_Tara entered the camp, giving what her and Daryl had managed to salvage to Rick. Rick was thankful for the cans of food they had managed to find. Their successful runs were getting fewer and farther between. Rick gave her a pat on the back as a thank you._

_"How did she do today?" Tara asked Rick about Maggie. Maggie had mostly closed herself off from the group as she grieved over the loss of her husband. She only talked to Tara when necessary._

_Rick shook his head, "Not good. She just kept to herself mostly."_

_Rick knew how Tara felt about Maggie. He had figured it out a long time ago when Glenn was still alive. He had caught her giving Maggie longing looks more times than he could remember. In that moment, he could see how much Tara truly loved Maggie. He only hoped that Tara wouldn't get hurt in the end._

_Tara sighed. She hated seeing Maggie so broken down and sad. She wished she could take all of Maggie's_ _pain away, but knew the only thing she could do was be there for her._

_Tara walked over to the tree that Maggie was sitting against, her eyes void of any emotions. As soon as Maggie spotted Tara, she jumped into her arms. Tara held her protectively, trying to give the smaller woman any kind of comfort that she could._

_"You were gone for so long. I was afraid you weren't coming back," Maggie confided as Tara held her tight in her secure arms. For the first time that day, Maggie truly felt safe._

_"Hey, don't think like that. I'll always come back to you. You're stuck with me for life," Tara said as Maggie pulled away slightly to look into her brown eyes._

_Maggie wasn't a weak woman. She was strong and had been through a lot in this apocalyptic world. But Maggie had lost a lot of people that she had loved. Her family and Glenn had been cruelly taken away from her. Maggie wasn't sure she could survive losing someone else that she loved, so she clung to Tara. She was surprised that Tara hadn't felt suffocated by her constant need to always be with her._

_Tara, on the other hand, didn't mind Maggie being so clingy. She understood that Maggie was just making sure that she wouldn't go anywhere. Tara was still harboring love for Maggie, so any chance to be close to her unrequited love was welcomed._

_"Come on, let's just sit down for a little bit," Tara guided Maggie to the tree she was sitting against earlier. Tara sat down, thinking Maggie would sit down next to her. Instead, Maggie sat down in her lap, taking Tara by surprise. Maggie leaned into her, getting as close as she physically could to Tara. They sat in silence for a few minutes._

_"I'm sorry," Maggie apologized as Tara gave her a confused look._

_"For what?" Tara asked. She couldn't think of anything Maggie had done that warranted an apology._

_"For being so clingy. I know it's probably something you don't like to deal with," Maggie said sadly. She knew she should give Tara some space, but being away from her friend was hard. It was hard enough waiting for Tara to come back from supply runs. Not knowing if Tara was alright while she was gone, not knowing if she would even come back. Every time Tara came back unharmed, Maggie counted her blessings._

_"Hey...don't say stuff like that. You know I'm here for you no matter what. If you want me to hold you for hours, then I'll do that. You know I'll do whatever I can to make you happy," Tara reassured Maggie as she looked into her green eyes, noticing how beautiful they looked with the sunlight setting._

_Maggie simply smiled as she nuzzled her face into Tara's neck, placing a barely felt kiss there. Tara held her tight as she felt Maggie's body slowly relax as sleep overtook her._

_Tara stayed up, watching the others as they went about their business. Glenn's death was still an aching pain the group felt, and their actions showed it. No one really joked or smiled like they used to. Tara figured it would be a while until some normalcy came into their lives again, if ever._

_Tara gently stood up with a sleeping Maggie in her arms. She took her over to the spot that they had designated as their own. Tara gently laid Maggie down, covering her up with her black hoodie. Tara leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Maggie's cheek._

_Just as Tara was about to join the others, Maggie grabbed her arm. Tara noticed that she had tears in her eyes._

_"Please stay with me. Don't leave me," Maggie pleaded, her voice small like a child's. Tara's heart broke at the sight in front of her. She would never leave Maggie alone if she could help it._

_"Ok." Tara simply said as she laid down next to Maggie, who immediately snuggled into her. Tara held her close as she felt Maggie's tears soak into her shirt._

_"Please don't ever leave...I can't lose you too," Maggie continued to plead._

_Tara sat up slightly, looking into Maggie's eyes. She hated how broken and lost those beautiful eyes looked._

_"I promise you...I won't ever leave you. I will always be here for you, Maggie. I'll always come back to you. Always," Tara promised as she held Maggie. Their bodies were so close that not an inch of space remained between them._

_Maggie cried over everything they had been through. Over the loss of her family. Over the loss of Glenn. Over the thought of losing Tara. Finally, after hours of crying she settled down in a restful slumber. The feel of Tara around her, helped chase away nightmares that had plagued her dreams recently._

_Tara kept watch over Maggie all through the night, making sure she got the rest she desperately needed. If Tara hadn't thought she was in love before, she knew she was now. Tara thought about the promise she had made to Glenn to always protect Maggie._

_"I'm trying buddy...you know I'll always love and protect her," Tara said, hoping Glenn would be able to hear her wherever he was._

_Tara made up her mind, no matter what happened she would always be with Maggie. She owed Maggie that much and more..._

* * *

"So...have you thought about my offer?" Lisa suddenly broke into Tara's precious memories of that night.

"No. I told you already. I'm married and not interested," Tara didn't know what she would have to do to get through to this girl. She had met persistent women before, but Lisa definitely took the cake.

"Your wife doesn't have to know. We can keep it on the down low," Lisa said in a suggestive voice, as she let her fingertips trail down Tara's arm. She started to trace the tattoos on Tara's arm.

Tara just shook her head and pulled her arm away. She quickly jogged up until she was walking beside Sasha and at a safe distance away from Lisa.

"She still bothering you?" Sasha asked in an amused tone.

"Yes! She won't get off my nuts," Tara complained as Sasha laughed.

The small group continued walking through the woods, down a lonely country road, until they finally came upon a small town. Gabriel led them through several deserted town streets until they came to a stop in front of a red brick building.

"This is the homeless shelter. The canned food should be in the basement. It might be flooded after that bad storm that came through here a few days ago," Gabriel informed the group as they surveyed the area around the building.

"Alright...keep an eye out. There are about twenty walkers in here. Use the guns sparingly. We need to save as much bullets as possible," Rick ordered as he went to the door closely followed by Tara and Daryl. Sasha kept an eye on Lisa and Father Gabriel.

Rick banged on the door, drawing a few of the walkers to the front. The walkers knocked and banged against the door as they caught a sniff of potential meals. Lisa and Gabriel looked apprehensive and worried as they realized that Rick was planning on opening the door.

"Stay behind us," Rick ordered Lisa and Gabriel. The others got their knives ready as Daryl got his crossbow in position to fire.

"Y'all ready?" Rick asked as his hand went to the doorknob, ready to turn it. The walkers continued to clang and crash against the door, which shook with each rattle.

"All systems go!" Tara said as she prepared herself for the walker horde that was waiting on the other side of the door.

Taking one last glance at his friends, Rick opened the door and quickly got out of the way as about thirty to forty walkers piled out onto the front steps. Daryl quickly shot a few in the head, bringing them down instantly. Rick, Tara, and Sasha each grabbed a walker, plunging their knives into their soft skulls.

The walkers kept coming out as the four worked as quickly as they could to dispatch the rotting bodies. Lisa and Gabriel hung back, in awe of the scene in front of them. Lisa had thought her brothers were tough but there was no way they could have pulled something like this off.

Tara brought the last walker down, its flesh splattering on her clothes. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead, trying to catch her breath. That had definitely been more than twenty walkers.

Rick cautiously stepped into the building, his knife ready for any surprise walkers. The others carefully followed behind Rick. They checked every corner and every room, finding a stray walker every now and then.

Gabriel led the group to the stairs that led to the basement. He stopped, nervously looking at them. It was evident that he didn't want to continue on the journey.

"There has to be five walkers in there last time I checked. I think I will just wait out here," Gabriel said as he moved away from the door.

"No. Everyone goes in. No one will be here to protect you if something happens. So we're all going," Rick ordered as he slowly opened the door.

Rick walked guardedly down the stairs, until about halfway down, water blocked his way. They could see high shelves that were filled with canned food and also huge clear containers that contained even more canned goods, floating around in the mucky waters.

Four walkers were wading around in the murky waters, taking notice of the new visitors. Daryl quickly shot all four of the dead creatures, ending their cries permanently.

"That solves that problem," Daryl smirked as the walkers disappeared underneath the surface.

"Alright, everyone be careful. Lisa stay here and be a lookout. Let us know immediately if you see any walkers. The rest of us are going to collect every canned good that can be seen. Be careful, the water is hard to see in," Rick instructed as everyone agreed to the plan, except Father Gabriel. He wasn't too happy about being in the unclean basement waters.

Lisa stayed on the stairs as the others entered the freezing water. Rick and Daryl grimaced as the coldness rushed their bodies.

"I'm pretty sure my dick just shrunk significantly, and my balls are up somewhere in my body. Ladies, if you happen to see my package, just remember that this water is freezing," Tara said out loud, not remembering that a priest was in their presence.

"Oh, sorry Father," she apologized as everyone except the Father starting cracking up.

"It's quite alright," Gabriel said as he tried to get used to the freezing water that was covering almost half his body.

They spent the next few minutes gathering the clear storage containers and canned goods off of the shelves. Gabriel went to the corner of the room to a closet, wanting to see if anything of use was in there.

Unbeknownst to Gabriel, a lone walker was trapped in said closet. As he opened the door, he realized too late that he had made a big mistake. The walker jumped out, grabbing at whatever it blindly could. Gabriel stepped back, running into someone.

Tara didn't have time to react before a walker was on her, forcing her into the water. Gabriel ran away as fast as he possibly could in the deep water, not stopping at all to help Tara.

The walker and Tara both went underneath the water as the others looked on in horror. There was violent trouncing as water went all over the place, with Tara trying her best to fight off the attacking walker. It looked like she was losing the battle as the walker kept her underwater.

"Tara!" Daryl yelled as he, Rick, and Sasha ran as fast as they could towards the violent scene. The high water making them waste precious seconds as it hindered their ability to move faster. Their hearts racing as they hoped one of them would make it in time to help Tara.

Daryl finally made it to the thrashing waters. He couldn't tell if Tara was okay, the water too murky to see.

He grabbed the offending walker by the shirt collar, pulling it up. It violently tried to attack him, snapping its jaws, wanting a bite of flesh.

Rick jumped forward, driving his knife deep into its rotting head. The walker ceased all movements, as Daryl pushed the decaying flesh away from him in disgust.

"Tara!" Daryl reached into the water, trying to feel for his friend. Seconds seemed like an eternity as they waited for any sign that Tara was alright.

Daryl could feel his heart stop as he tried desperately to find Tara in the darkened water. Tears started to build up in his eyes, thinking that he was too late.

Suddenly, the surface of the water broke as Tara resurfaced, gasping and coughing for air. Daryl quickly helped her up, holding her steady so she wouldn't fall again.

"Did you get bit or scratched?" Daryl frantically asked as he and Rick looked her over, looking for signs of blood. They all tensed when they saw blood run down the side of her face.

Rick sighed with relief when he saw that she had hit her head on one of the metal shelves, and had not been bit.

"No, I don't think I got bit or scratched. Just knocked my head on something," Tara said as she felt the blood run down her face. Her wet clothes sticking to her cold skin. She would have to change clothes when she got back.

Daryl gave her a huge hug, relief flowing through him when he saw that Tara was alright. He didn't know what he would have done if she had been bit.

"I'm so fuckin' glad you're alright. I almost thought I was gonna have to tell Maggie that she was gonna be a single mother," Daryl said as he gave Tara another hug.

Rick and Sasha also gave her a hug of relief, realizing that if they had been a second too late then they would have been bringing home a body. They had almost lost one of their own.

Daryl suddenly felt his body fill with anger as he caught sight of Father Gabriel. The man had ran off like a coward, not even helping Tara when she needed it the most. He had left her to die.

"You son of a bitch! Tara almost died cuz of you!" Daryl grabbed the priest by the collar, threatening to punch the man.

Rick and Tara rushed to Daryl's side, stopping him from striking Gabriel. Rick tried to calm Daryl down, even though he felt the same way.

"Hey! Daryl, I'm good. I'm fine," Tara tried to get Daryl to let Gabriel go.

"Yeah, but ya could've been bit. Then what would I have told Maggie? That I had to kill ya before ya turned?" Daryl said as he let Gabriel go, letting him fall into the water.

"Hey man...I'm fine. You should know it will take more than a walker to take me out," Tara reassured her best friend as she pulled him in for another hug.

After a few minutes, Daryl finally calmed down after realizing that Tara was indeed alright. He was just glad that he didn't lose his best friend that day. Daryl wasn't sure he could dig another grave for a loved one.

The group quickly finished gathering their supplies, filling up six big containers with heavy canned goods. After making sure their exit was walker free, they left the building, heading back to the church.

Tara kept up the pace with Daryl, knowing he needed her presence after what had just happened. Tara understood how he felt; if anything ever happened to him, she would be lost.

Every so often, Tara would notice that Lisa would give her a curious look. Tara ignored the looks from her admirer. After what had happened all she wanted to do was see Maggie and feel her in her arms again.

* * *

Finally, after walking for miles the church was in their view. When the group arrived, they were surprised to see two unfamiliar males; Abraham training his gun on the strangers.

Tara noticed that Maggie was back also and was happy to lay eyes on her. Although, she had a look on her face that Tara couldn't quite read. Maggie noticed that Tara was bleeding and her clothes were soaking wet. She wondered what had happened on their supply run.

Abraham caught sight of the rest of his group, keeping the gun pointed at the strangers in front of him. The men looked like a couple of guys who were up to no good. One had dirty blonde hair, while one had dark brown hair and a beard. Both had eyes that looked distrustful and shady, both were dirty with mud and sweat.

"Caught these bastards tryin' to get handsy with our women," Abraham informed Rick as he kept the rifle on the strange men.

"What do you mean?" Daryl asked, glaring at the newcomers in front of him.

"After exploring the town, Carol, Michonne, and I went to the nearby creek to get water. Maggie and Rosita stayed here to watch over things. Later, we come back with water and see the girls have their guns out, pointin' at these bastards. They said these dickheads came out of the woods, trying to get handsy with them. Even though, the girls were tellin' them no and had their guns out at them. So I pulled my pistol out and told them if they move, I'm blastin' their balls off," Abraham informed the others, clearly angry.

Tara immediately saw red when she heard what these men were trying to do to Maggie and Rosita. There was no way these scum were going to get away with that kind of behavior. Tara pulled out her gun, pointing it at the two men.

"Anyone of you touches my wife, I swear to Christ, I will put you down," Tara threatened as cocked her gun, showing that she was serious.

The man with the beard raised his hands up in surrender. "We didn't know they were taken. It's just, we haven't seen any women in a while and we got excited. I'm Jared and this is Mike. We're just travelin' through. We mean no harm, just need a place to stay for the night."

"Are these men your brothers?" Rick asked Lisa even though he knew the answer. She shook her head, not knowing a thing about the two rough looking men in front of her.

Rick already knew his answer to them staying the night. Rick didn't want these bastards anywhere near his group, but before he could voice his objection, Gabriel spoke up.

"You're more than welcomed to stay at my church for the night. The Lord's house is open for everyone," Gabriel offered his church as Rick shook his head in anger.

This was Gabriel's church after all; Rick couldn't tell the man who could stay or not. He could see the confusion on his group's faces as they realized what Gabriel had done. This priest was naive to think the bastards in front of him weren't dangerous.

"Are you crazy? Didn't you hear what they were trying to do to Maggie and Rosita? They might be rapists or something!" Tara marched up to the priest, beyond mad that he allowed the men to stay.

"I'm sure that was all just a misunderstanding. Besides, the Lord preaches forgiveness and patience for everyone," Gabriel simply preached to the angry group in front of him.

"Yeah, well if they touch Maggie or anyone else, I'm gonna kill you after I kill them," Tara threatened as she walked away from Gabriel, leaving him flabbergasted.

Tara walked up to Maggie, protectively pulling her close so these guys knew Maggie was taken. Abraham lowered his weapon, telling the men to keep their distance if they wanted to live.

"Are you ok? Did they hurt you?" Tara asked with concern.

"No, they just touched my shoulder a few times, and tried to sweet talk me before I pulled my gun out at 'em," Maggie confided as Tara felt her anger rising. She could feel her possessiveness and jealously getting the best of her. These men had no right to touch Maggie in any way.

"Are you ok? You're bleeding," Maggie pointed out as she tried to check Tara's wound. Tara had forgotten about hitting her head earlier. All she could think about now was killing the two men in front of her.

"I'm fine. We had an incident at the homeless shelter," Tara said as she tried to ignore the two bastards who kept staring at Maggie.

With the gun no longer trained on them, the two men relaxed. Tara glared at them when she realized that they were both blatantly checking Maggie out in front of her. Tara couldn't handle that they were openly degrading her wife. Tara gently pushed Maggie behind her, blocking their view.

"What's the matter? Can't share some eye candy with us?" Mike, the man with blonde hair, shouted at Tara. He had to admit, if all these people weren't around, he would have gladly taken the hidden brunette, with or without permission.

"Mike, shut up!" Jared warned his friend. He really didn't want to get on these people's bad side, they looked like a lethal group.

"Quit being a pussy, Jared. What's wrong? Afraid to let your woman know what it's like to be with a real man?" Mike shouted at Tara again, wanting to get a reaction from her.

Tara couldn't hold in her anger anymore. If this bastard was looking for a fight, she was going to give him one. Furiously marching up to Mike, she balled her hand into a fist, punching him so hard, he fell to the ground.

After the shock wore off, Mike jumped to his feet, standing to his full height trying to intimidate Tara. She didn't back down as she stood up to him. He threw a punch which Tara easily ducked. She quickly threw another punch into his face, knocking him down again.

Before Mike could get up, Daryl had his crossbow trained on him, daring the man to move. Rick pulled his gun out, pointing it at the man on the ground.

"You get up, I'll kill you," Rick muttered as Mike stayed downon the ground. Mike's nose and lip were bleeding profusely.

"You best be gettin' on your way. If you come back we'll kill you," Daryl threatened as Jared pulled Mike up. They cowardly ran off into the woods, never looking back.

Maggie gave Tara a look, knowing she had done all that for her. Tara stood, trying to calm down. Her muscles were noticeably flexed as adrenaline ran through her body. Maggie was so turned on by what Tara had just done. She wasn't sure if she would be able to wait until later to let Tara have her way with her.

Unfortunately, Tara's actions also caught the attention of Lisa who was now more than ever determined to have her way with her. She just needed to find a way to get Tara alone for a few minutes.

"Nice punch! That was a solid knockout!" Abraham admired.

"Thanks. My dad taught me how to fight when I was younger, and it's come quite in handy a few times," Tara laughed, feeling her ego boost after that fight.

After making sure the two stragglers were indeed gone, the group carried their supplies into the church. The family was happy that they were able to find a good amount of food, and even some extra guns that were hidden in the town.

Tara went into the restroom to change into some much needed dry clothes. As she .was changing her clothes, she noticed that there was a small, short wooden tub in the corner. Tara decided she would fill it up with some clean creek water so she could use it to wash up. She definitely needed to get all that dirty water from the basement off of her.

Tara told the others of her find. Gabriel explained that this church used the wooden barrel for baptisms of babies and small children. Everyone was grateful that they would at least get a couple of baths in before heading off north, even if it would be a slow, painstaking process.

Rick's mind was on overdrive as he surveyed everyone going about their business, getting things ready for dinner, and taking turns going to the creek to get buckets of water for the wooden tub. Rick wasn't sure what the deal was with those two men who had randomly shown up earlier. It seemed strange that they managed to find this church on their own.

Rick would definitely be on high alert in case they came back. He also knew that Tara, Daryl, and Abraham would keep an extra eye out for those bastards. Rick had a gut feeling that wouldn't be the last time they would see those two.

Maggie and Rosita made a fuss about Tara's head wound. Tara told the others what had happened, leaving out the part that Gabriel had almost gotten her killed that day. She figured he didn't need any more hate from her friends. She also skipped a few details, making it seem like it hadn't been a big deal. The rest of the group didn't need to know just how close she had been to losing her life.

After a few hours, everyone had washed up as best as they could using the wooden tub and some soap Gabriel managed to find in the church cellar. Tara felt a lot cleaner after washing away all the gunk off her skin from earlier that day.

* * *

Maggie saw Tara, standing by herself looking out the window of the church. She wrapped her arms around Tara's waist from behind, pulling her as close as she could.

"You looked really hot today. I have to admit seeing you punch a guy out was a total turn on," Maggie smiled seductively as she reached down, brushing her hand against Tara's crotch. Tara could feel her heartbeat start to quicken.

"Well, I had to defend your honor. Besides he was checkin' you out and I don't play that," Tara said as she remembered what that bastard had done.

"Come on," Maggie grabbed her hand, leading her to a room that had a decent sized couch in it. Tara heard Maggie lock the door.

Before Tara could react, Maggie's lips were on her own. Tara let her hands slide down, roughly gripping Maggie's hips, pulling her close so she could feel the growing erection between them.

Tara guided Maggie to the couch, pushing her onto it before falling on top of her, their lips never parting. The urgency in their kisses was evident as they quickly undressed, needing to be connected in that intimate way.

Tara made her way down Maggie's body, smelling the mixture of soap and Maggie's own scent that drove her wild. Tara's lips traveled from Maggie's long delicate neck, to her collarbone, then to her prefect breasts which perked for her attention. Tara lavished them with kisses, licks, and sucks causing Maggie to moan and arch against her.

"You're so beautiful. Absolutely stunning," Tara whispered against her skin, taking her time to explore every inch that she could.

Tara's next target - the sweet nectar covered pussy that sat between Maggie's thighs. Tara laid down on the couch, hands grasping Maggie's thighs gently and pulling them apart exposing her wet pussy.

The first inhale was all it took for Tara's own groan of pleasure to release. Soft kisses trailed on the inside of Maggie's thigh, as Tara took her sweet time reaching where Maggie craved her most.

Tara's tongue slipped from her mouth, sliding between Maggie's wet folds as she circled the small entrance to her pussy. It was already dripping with sweet wetness and Tara smiled against her, loving how wet Maggie was for her.

Maggie tasted sweet as Tara savored the flavor that invaded her mouth. Tara gently rubbed a long finger at the wanting entrance, letting it sink into Maggie slowly. Curling her finger upwards almost immediately, Tara enjoyed the sound of the sharp intake of Maggie's breath.

A hushed moan left Maggie's mouth as her hips arched slightly, Tara's tongue rising to circle her clit. Maggie was needy for her, Tara could taste that much. Soon her tongue was traveling all over that wet pussy, making sure every inch was tasted.

Every pass of Tara's tongue on Maggie's clit made her thighs twitch in Tara's hands and soon Tara was grinding her tongue against the sensitive nub. Maggie's little moans of pleasure, coupled with Tara's now thrusting finger and grinding tongue was slowly driving both of them to the edge in different ways.

Tara rubbed against Maggie's inner walls, another finger joining her first as she continued to lap at her dripping slit. Maggie was growing tighter around Tara's fingers; her breaths were turning into pants as Tara pulled her fingers back until they were just an inch inside of Maggie. It was that one spot Maggie could never resist. The one place that was sure to make her explode.

Curving her fingers, pressing upwards, Tara continued to lick Maggie's clit with her tongue rapidly. Maggie's body was squirming furiously, hips rolling against Tara's mouth until she suddenly stopped. Her walls clamped down on Tara's fingers tightly and she cried out, thighs clamped around Tara's head as Maggie practically sobbed with the release.

Wetness clung to Tara's fingers as she pulled them out of Maggie, her tongue moving to swirl around inside, lapping her cum away. Tara's fingers, sticky and wet, stroked Maggie's already over sensitive clit until she was finished. Tara slid her tongue once more through Maggie's folds, popping her fingers into her mouth for extra clean up.

Maggie's arm laid over her eyes as she took deep heavy breaths, thighs now wide open as she had lost the battle to pleasure. Tara was an incredible lover with every touch she placed on Maggie's body.

Tara slid up onto her knees, the heavy thickness of her cock in her hands, tapped lightly against Maggie. The velvet texture of Tara's cockhead rubbed against her clit, causing that electrifying sensation of pleasure to jolt through Maggie once again. Maggie was slick and wet, perfect for Tara to take and she slowly ground against her.

Tara's hips moved back and forth, coating her length before she took it in her hand and prodded against Maggie's begging entrance. The thick head of Tara's cock looked monstrous against the tiny little entrance Maggie had.

"You ready? I promise to go slow," Tara huskily whispered as Maggie nodded her head. She wanted Tara more than anything in that moment, wanting to feel the sensation that only Tara could make her feel.

With a slowly gaining pressure, Tara's hips moved forward, and it only took slight pressuring prods to open Maggie up enough for the cock's head to pop into her. Tara swore that this is what heaven felt like as she slowly entered Maggie.

The heated core of Maggie's body was already clinging to the head as Tara pushed into her deeper, sinking slowly. The first few inches didn't hurt that much; Maggie's breath was held tightly in her chest as her fingers grasped the sofa under her body, watching Tara's actions carefully.

Suddenly, Tara became thicker causing Maggie's pussy to stretch wider to accommodate the size and she whimpered. Tara groaned in pleasure, Maggie always felt so tight and so good. Sometimes Tara had to control herself when Maggie felt extra tight, and take her time to let Maggie get used to her large size. This was one of those times.

Tara's hand came down to press against Maggie's belly to still her, and she began to rock her hips, sliding in and out to relax her.

"Shh, it's ok baby. I won't go in more until I have you all ready for me," Tara promised as she felt the tightness envelope her pulsing cock.

With every word, Tara's hips moved back and forth, creating a lovely pace that wasn't too slow or too fast but just enough. Tara's groans were low, graveled and the perfect sound to Maggie's ears, addicting.

Tara's hands reached up, taking Maggie's into her grasp, linking their fingers together. Maggie looked into Tara's eyes, seeing nothing but love for her in them. Tara looked so content just being inside of her. Maggie rubbed her thumb along the back of Tara's hand.

"I love you," Maggie softly said, gasping softly with every thrust that Tara would deliver into her.

"I love you too," Tara whispered as her hips pushed forward, stretching Maggie around the widened middle of her cock. Tara continued to thrust until her full length was in Maggie, getting coated in her warm wetness.

Finally, Tara rested inside of Maggie's body, cockhead wedged against her cervix. Tara started to thrust in and out, earning a moan from Maggie with every movement that she made.

Maggie's legs came up to wrap around Tara's hips as she took her, the rhythm like a wave, back and forth over and over again. Every now and then Tara would speed up, drawing gasps, moans and trembles from both of them, only to tease and slow back down.

The thin column of Maggie's neck was exposed Tara, who leaned down, placing kisses and soft bites on the delicate skin.

"I want you to cum for me baby, I'm right there. I'm ready to fill you and I want you to cum with me," Tara's voice was gruff, almost cracking with pleasure as she spoke. Whispered right against Maggie's ear, causing her to shiver.

She hadn't told Tara just how close she was getting, though the signs were obvious. Her walls were repeatedly clenching around Tara's cock on their own, over and over again, she pulsated around her. It didn't take much longer as Tara began to thrust just a tiny bit faster into her. They were groaning together, hips rolling as they took each other higher and higher.

Before they knew what was happening Tara's cock was unleashing a torrent of hot seed against her cervix. Maggie was clenching around Tara, her cervix rhythmically pulsating against the head, taking her seed inside and making her feel full.

Maggie's walls quivered around Tara's shaft, massaging her as they came together. Maggie screamed out Tara's name as ecstasy overtook her body again, quivering as waves of bliss coursed throughout.

Tara collapsed on top of Maggie, sated and spent. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara, the sweat on their bodies starting to cool down.

After a few minutes, Tara pulled out, repositioning herself so Maggie could snuggle into her. Tara grabbed a blanket that was draped over the couch cushions, and covered them up, just in case someone managed to walk in.

Tara held Maggie close, loving the feel of her wife's naked body draped over her own. Comfortable silence surrounded them, as they both came down from their intense highs.

"What really happened at the homeless shelter?" Maggie asked out loud in the dark room. She knew Tara had told everyone else a watered down version of the events. She wanted the real story.

"I'll tell you. Just don't freak out ok?" Tara said as she told Maggie what had actually happened in that flooded basement.

Tara recounted how she had been seconds away from death had Daryl not swooped in just at the right time. How she could feel the walker's teeth just millimeters from her skin, ready to tear into her flesh. She told Maggie how Father Gabriel had ran away instead of trying to help her. How in those last seconds, all she could think about was Maggie.

Maggie didn't realize how close her life had been to changing that day. She truly could have lost everything, if her friends had been one second too late. Maggie felt herself start to tear up at the thought of Tara not being by her side anymore.

Tara noticed the tears that were running down Maggie's face. "Hey...it's ok. I'm here. I'm fine. I'm practically indestructible by now."

"I'm just thinking about how I could have lost you. I don't think I could survive without you. And then the baby is still at risk and I could still lose him or her. My world could have changed today," Maggie wiped away the tears that continued to fall.

"It didn't though. I'm still here. Let's hope the baby's still here. We're gonna be alright. Remember that night when I promised I would always come back to you?" Tara asked as Maggie nodded her head.

"I keep my promises, babe. I'll always come back to you. Always," Tara leaned down, placing a kiss on Maggie's trembling lips, tasting the saltiness of her tears.

Tara held Maggie close that night, never letting go, knowing she desperately needed her embrace. Maggie listened to Tara's steady heartbeat, feeling grateful with each beat that signified life.

Tara hadn't realized how much Maggie would be effected by the story. Tara just always knew she would be there for Maggie, if she could be. She didn't willingly put herself in dangers way, it just always seemed to happen to find her.

There was no way Tara would ever willingly leave Maggie's side, especially when a baby might be on the way. Tara closed her eyes, trying not to think about another near death experience that she had somehow managed to escape. She could only hope that her luck wouldn't run out anytime soon.

* * *

Another chapter done. A lot happened. Tara was almost walker food. What's up with the suspicious Mike and Jared dudes? Are they gonna come back and mess with Team Family? Is Lisa still going to try to get into Tara's pants? Is the baby ok?

All that will be answered eventually. This chapter's song was Open Arms by Journey.

Thank you for all your continued support and reviews for this story. I really appreciate it. :)

Also, big thanks for all the support for my other Maggie/Tara story. I didn't expect that one to be so popular but it kinda blew up. Hopefully, I can keep y'all entertained with that one too.

As always thanks for all the reviews, views, messages, love, and support. :)


	14. Faithfully

Lisa didn't sleep much that night as she tossed and turned on the uncomfortable wooden church pew beneath her. She knew what was happening in the room that was next to where she was at. She had seen Tara and Maggie sneak in there earlier, and could feel some jealously fill her emotions.

Lisa wasn't used to being the jealous one. Instead, she was the one who usually made other women jealous. Lisa had learned from a young age that sex could get her what she wanted, and she was never turned down - until now. It was a blow to her ego and self-esteem, especially when she was used to people drooling over her.

She knew she should just leave Tara alone. It was quite obvious that Tara was madly devoted to Maggie, but Lisa couldn't help but want some of that devotion. Plus, she saw Tara as a challenge that she wasn't ready to give up on just yet.

Lisa thought it over in her head, knowing that she was treading on very dangerous territory. Rick's group already distrusted her with a passion. She knew the stalwart leader didn't trust a word that came out of her mouth. After the whole Jared and Mike incident, he interrogated her, asking repeatedly if she really didn't know the two men.

Still though, she figured having some time alone with Tara would be worth all the trouble, judging from the sounds of pleasure that Maggie kept making. Lisa knew she could walk away, and let the couple be but she had her sights on what she wanted. And she never lost. Never.

Lisa knew that when she had first met Tara, she had been on the outs with Maggie. Lisa knew that Tara had contemplated having sex with her. She could see that look in her brown eyes, a look that Lisa knew very well. It was only there for a few seconds, but it was still there nonetheless.

An idea suddenly came to her, it was a conniving one she had to admit. She just had to create some type of conflict between the young married couple. There was already the whole possible miscarriage thing which was probably stressful enough on their relationship. If she was able to add some extra conflict, then maybe Tara would come seek her for comfort. Or knowing herself, she would offer it.

Lisa sat up, ready to put this brilliant plan into motion. Making sure that everyone was sound asleep, she quietly tip-toed around the sleeping bodies until she reached Tara and Maggie's designated corner. Looking around once again to make sure there were no witnesses, she opened Tara's bag. She dug around until she found what she was looking for. An unopened pack of a dozen condoms.

Lisa quietly opened the box, careful not to make any unnecessary noise. She took one condom, making sure to put the rest back. If her calculations were correct, she was sure that the young couple didn't use condoms. And knowing how women could be, Lisa was sure Maggie knew exactly how many were in the box and that it was unopened. Maggie would be in for a surprise when she found one missing, knowing Tara didn't use them with her. That was just part of Lisa's plan though.

Lisa quietly made her way back to her pew, with a big smile on her face. She was sure her plan would work, especially with all the factors that would come into play. There would be no way Maggie would think she was lying with the evidence that she would show her. Lisa could barely contain her excitement as she slipped the condom in her pocket. She knew she would have to wait a few days until she could set her plot into motion, but she was more than willing to be patient.

* * *

The next couple of days were uneventful at best. Rick stayed on high alert for the two men they had ran off the other day, so far there was no sign of them. Rick still couldn't shake the feeling that the stragglers were out there somewhere and that his group was being watched. At first, he chalked the feeling to being overprotective especially since he had Carl and Judith to worry about. As the days went on though, he knew there was more to it, and he could feel that something wasn't quite right. He didn't know if Mike or Jared were connected to the feeling, but he wouldn't put it past them.

Rick told the others of his feeling, and everyone was on high alert. No one was allowed to go into the surrounding woods alone, and they were to always have a weapon on them. Everyone was especially protective over Maggie, even though she didn't think they needed to be. The makeshift family was counting down the days until the pregnancy test could be taken, hoping for the best.

Carol even told Maggie she could take the test a day or two earlier than anticipated. She was sure that if what Maggie had went through was a miscarriage then her body and hormone levels should be back to normal in a couple of days. Plus, Carol had a couple of extra tests in case Maggie wanted to take more later on - just to be sure.

Tara watched the days slowly crawl by. She was anxious for Maggie to take the test, and to find out if they were still going to be parents. Tara didn't stay at the church for long periods of time, quickly getting bored with just being there. Daryl and Tara went out on supply runs to see if there was anything useful in nearby towns. They had found an old beat up van, and were pleasantly surprised to get it working again. With a bit more than half a tank of gas, it wouldn't get them far to DC but at least they had something. Their new mission now was to siphon as much gasoline as they could before the group's upcoming trip.

The two came back from their most recent supply run into town, both carrying a small jerry can full of gasoline. The friends were in good spirits as they threw playful insults at each other. Every so often a playful punch or shove was added as they roughhoused like a couple of teenagers.

Maggie couldn't contain her excitement when she saw Tara emerge from the woods. Ever since she had found out how close she had come to almost losing Tara again, Maggie always counted her blessings when she saw her after being out on a supply run. Today was no different as she ran into Tara's arms, feeling those strong and secure arms wrap around her.

"I missed you so much," Maggie greeted Tara with a kiss, wasting no time.

"I missed you more," Tara said as she leaned down for another kiss from Maggie's soft lips.

Daryl gagged, "Get a room, you two. Y'all are disgustingly cute."

Maggie and Tara both laughed at their friend as they followed him over to where the rest of the group was sitting. Maggie grabbed Tara's hand, interlocking their fingers together. She slightly ran her finger over Tara's wedding ring, loving that it meant that they were in this together, no matter what happened.

Everyone was in a great mood as they joked around with each other. They were also feeling a bit anxious too, though. Carol had announced at breakfast that morning that Maggie could take her pregnancy test first thing tomorrow morning.

Tara was more than relieved to know that the truth would be known soon. The uncertainly had been eating away at her for the last few days. She was also ready to be Maggie's strength and guidance just in case the test result was negative. Tara knew her wife would be devastated if it really had been a miscarriage.

Lisa watched the scene unfold in front of her from a distance. She kept out of the group's way most of the time, only talking to Father Gabriel when she felt the need to be social. Of course, that didn't stop her from watching Tara as she went about various activities around the church.

Her favorite was when Tara and Daryl chopped up firewood with an old, rusty ax. Usually when Tara was chopping away, all the muscles on her arms were on display. Lisa couldn't wait to touch Tara's biceps, and feel how hard they were, among other things.

Lisa had a feeling that her plan would happen today or tomorrow. She was hoping today so she could have Tara by the end of the night. She was unbelievably horny, and watching Tara strut around like she owned the place didn't help matters at all. Of course, she had tried to fix the problem herself, but she just couldn't reach that level of satisfaction that someone else could give her. Lisa just needed all the factors to play out so this evil plan of hers could go off without a hitch.

After watching the group for about an hour, Lisa realized that she had fallen asleep against the tree she was sitting against. She looked around her surroundings, seeing that everyone was still at the church except Tara, Abraham, and Michonne. She figured they probably went to the creek to get more fresh water, which was perfect.

Lisa saw that Maggie was sitting by herself on the church steps, reading a book. The rest of the group was engrossed in their various activities so they weren't paying attention to either one of them. Lisa made sure she had what she needed before making her way to Maggie.

Lisa walked up a couple of the church steps before stopping beside Maggie, who looked up from her book. Maggie didn't hide the fact that she didn't like Lisa one bit. The woman was always throwing herself at Tara even though she knew damn well that she was married. She didn't have time to deal with sluts like that.

Lisa looked down at her for a minute. "Listen, I know you don't like me. And I don't like you. But maybe you should hear me out before you judge me too quickly. Especially, if you knew what Tara has been up to lately."

Lisa cheered inwardly when she saw that Maggie had a confused look on her face at the mention of Tara's name. She guessed that it was a bonus that Maggie might be pregnant. Expectant mothers usually overreacted over things like this when their crazy hormonal emotions took over.

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked hoping that Lisa wasn't going to say what she thought she was going to say. Her heart felt like it was stopped at that moment, trying to keep herself composed.

"The other day, Tara and I had sex in the woods. It was nothing really but I thought you should know what type of person Tara really is," Lisa simply shrugged her shoulders, feeling no remorse at all. She delivered the news like she was reading a shopping list, and not potentially ruining someone's happy marriage.

Maggie felt like her world was crashing down around her. She tried to keep the tears that threatened to fall at bay. She still had to give Tara the benefit of the doubt. Tara wouldn't really hurt her like that, would she? Especially after everything they had been through and lost together.

"I don't believe you. I don't think Tara would do that to me," Maggie tried to keep her voice steady as she looked up at Lisa with uncertainly in her green eyes.

"I thought you might say something like that, so I brought some proof," Lisa dug into her front pocket, pulling out the condom wrapper she had stolen the night before.

Maggie felt her heart sink when she saw that the wrapper belonged to a brand that was tucked away in Tara's backpack. She didn't want to believe the news that Lisa had just revealed to her.

"Yeah, this is the wrapper of the condom we used. There was a brand new pack in Tara's backpack. Well, if you check now, there's one missing, and I don't think y'all use them, do you?" Lisa tried to put on her most sympathetic face so Maggie would believe every word that came out of her mouth. So far it must have been working, much to her delight.

Maggie quickly got up, throwing her book to the side, running into the church, heading straight for Tara's backpack. Lisa followed right behind her, making sure no one was taking any notice of them. Maggie dug through the bag until she came upon the box of condoms. Last time she had saw this box, it had been unopened. Now it had clearly been open, with one condom gone from the pack. The one whose wrapper Lisa was now holding.

Maggie couldn't keep the tears back any longer. Her heart felt like it had exploded in her chest, and she felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe Tara would do something like this to her. She didn't want to accept that her sweet, loving Tara could hurt her like this, after all the promises she had made to her.

"When?" Maggie simply asked, wiping the tears away that kept steadily coming out.

Lisa hid the smirk that wanted to cross her face. So far her plot was working to separate the young couple. By tonight, she would be the comfort that Tara sought after, and she would be sure to savor every second of their encounter.

"The morning when we went on that run to the homeless shelter. We went into the woods real quick before you woke up. If you don't believe me, ask Daryl and Rick. They saw us come out of the woods together. And well, I know that Tara is pretty well endowed...maybe nine or so inches? How else would I know that if I hadn't felt it all inside of me?" Lisa knew that last part was just adding insult to injury, but she didn't care at this point.

Lisa could literally see the heartbreak cross on Maggie's face at her words. Of course, the other woman didn't know that she only knew that information because she had caught a glimpse of Tara's dick when she was relieving herself. With all the "evidence" Lisa had brought to the table, she knew Maggie had no choice but to accept her word as truth.

Maggie turned away, sobbing silently to herself. She couldn't believe that her world had changed in just a matter of minutes. Why would Tara do this her? Why would the love of her life hurt her in the worst way possible?

"You shouldn't feel too bad. Some people just can't stay faithful no matter what, and you can't change her. It's better to have found out now, then later," Lisa tried to give some false comfort to Maggie.

Thinking about Tara with Lisa, sharing those intimate moments together, just brought on even more tears. Maggie couldn't believe this was happening to her. She needed some more confirmation though. She still didn't want to believe what Lisa was saying was even remotely true.

Giving Lisa a look of devastation, Maggie ran out of the church, looking for Daryl and Rick to either confirm or deny what Lisa had revealed. Lisa kept up with Maggie, staying a couple of steps behind her. She needed to see how this would all ultimately play out.

Maggie found the two men sitting with the rest of the group that was still at the church. They seemed to be talking and joking about something with Carol and Carl. Rosita held baby Judith, rocking her back and forth in her arms with Eugene and Sasha looking on.

They all immediately took notice of Maggie's emotional state. Rosita handed the baby to Carl as she and Carol rushed to Maggie's side, wanting to comfort the crying woman. Carol caught sight of Lisa a few feet away, knowing right away that she had something to do with Maggie's tears.

"What did you do?" Carol asked Lisa, her voice dripping with contempt for the other woman.

Lisa merely shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, "Just tellin' her the truth. Don't kill the messenger."

"What truth?" Rosita asked, not knowing what the hell Lisa was talking about.

"Come on, Maggie. Tell them what I told you about Tara. What she did," Lisa insisted as everyone turned to look at the distraught woman in front of them.

Maggie shook her head, trying to wipe away the tears that kept falling. She tried to steady her voice to talk. After a few failed attempts, she finally managed to get some coherent words out.

"Rick...Daryl...the morning when y'all went to the homeless shelter...did you see Tara and Lisa come out of the woods together? Please don't lie to me," Maggie pleaded as she hoped their answers would somehow prove Tara innocent.

Daryl knew immediately what Tara was being accused of and he refused to believe a word of it. He was sure that Lisa was playing some kind of game on them. He knew she had it bad for Tara and would stop at nothing to get to her. For some reason, the damn floozy wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Well, I mean we saw them come out of the woods, yeah. Tara walked out first, followed by Lisa. But that don't mean a damn thing. She wouldn't do somethin' like that," Daryl tried to defend his best friend, believing he knew her true character. He knew Tara loved Maggie more than anything so for her to have an affair didn't make a lick of sense.

Lisa pulled out the condom wrapper from her pocket for everyone to see. Daryl decided he had had enough of this hussy, angrily marching up to her.

"What the fuck is that supposed to prove?" Daryl furiously spat at Lisa, not wanting to believe a word that this manipulating wench threw at him.

Lisa quickly explained the significance of the condom wrapper, along with the intimate details that she knew about Tara. Everyone was shocked as the news sank in - Tara had cheated on Maggie. They didn't want to accept that any of this was true but the facts were slapping them right in the face. Daryl realized he couldn't argue with the evidence that he was confronted with anymore.

Daryl immediately felt his anger directed towards his best friend. He couldn't believe that Tara would do something like that and hurt her growing family. Daryl didn't grow up in a loving home. Hell, he barely grew up in a home at all. His father was an abusive and neglectful man who regularly beat him. His older brother wasn't much better, throwing insult after insult at him. Daryl had never really felt any love until he had met Rick's group. Rick was like the brother he never knew he could have. Tara was the sister he realized he couldn't live without. He loved all the members of their family in different ways.

If Maggie was pregnant, he didn't want this kid to grow up in a broken family like he had. Granted, the baby would have a slew of aunts and uncles to help care for him or her, but they needed both parents around. And with the way things were looking now, it didn't seem like Maggie would want Tara around after this. Hell, he barely wanted to deal with her right now.

The group each went through their own thoughts about the situation occurring in front of them. Carol wanted to hurt Tara right now more than anything, as she held Maggie close, feeling her tears soak through her shirt. She couldn't admit that Tara had done what she was accused of doing, but she really had no choice. All Carol knew now was that she needed to be there for Maggie. She would deal with Tara and Lisa later.

Rick wasn't sure what to think. He didn't believe a word that Lisa said but the proof she had presented told him otherwise. Rick wanted to give Tara the benefit of the doubt, but so far it didn't look good for her. Especially, when he remembered the kind of wild past she had before the walker apocalypse.

Maggie was still trying to process her feelings on the matter. She still couldn't believe that this was all happening to her, it all almost felt like a bad nightmare. Tara had promised her that she didn't want anyone but her. That she only had eyes for Maggie, and that no one would ever come between them. Maggie could only cry fresh tears as she thought about all the broken promises that Tara had given her. Tara had done the unthinkable, broken the sacred vows they had made to each other.

Suddenly, Maggie felt a wave of nausea hit her like a freight train. She pulled out of Carol's embrace, quickly trotting to the bushes that were a few feet away before emptying the contents of her stomach. Carol and Rosita were promptly by her side, giving her a bottle of water so she could wash the taste out of her mouth.

Lisa watched the scene unfold in front of her, secretly glad that everyone seemed to believe what she was saying. She almost thought she would have to do some more convincing, but so far everyone seemed to take every word out of her mouth for granted.

Just then, Tara, Abraham, and Michonne arrived at the church with some gallons of water in each hand. They immediately felt the tension in the air that was so heavy it could be cut with a knife.

Tara felt all eyes fall on her as she made her presence known. She didn't pay attention to the stares when she saw Maggie with tears readily falling down her face. Tara's first instinct was to run to Maggie and hold her close. To make sure that she was alright, to protect her. Tara immediately rushed over to Maggie only to be blocked by Daryl.

"What the fuck man? I'm trying to see what's wrong with my girl," Tara glared at Daryl, daring him to get in her way again.

Daryl stood his ground, pushing her back a few steps, "Nah, you ain't gettin' near her. Not after you're the reason she's cryin' in the first place."

"What the fuck are you talkin' about?" Tara asked with confusion. She couldn't think of anything she had done in the last hour to warrant such a hostile welcome back. Looking around, Tara could see everyone giving her judging, angry looks.

Abraham and Michonne stayed back, seeing that their group seemed to be very pissed off at Tara for some reason. They both wondered what she had done. She had seemed like herself when they went to get the fresh water, cracking jokes and whatnot.

"You fucked Lisa!" Daryl yelled at Tara, resisting the urge to push her away again.

"What!? I did not, I swear!" Tara said in complete and utter surprise.

Daryl grabbed the condom wrapper from Lisa and threw it at Tara. She looked at the wrapper on the ground, seeing that it was the exact same brand that she had in her bag.

Maggie pushed past Daryl, marching up to Tara, tears streaming down her face. Tara tried to get close to her, but Maggie pushed her roughly away. Tara could only stand there as Maggie hit her repeatedly a few times. Finally, Rosita stepped between them, gently holding Maggie back.

"I checked your bag. One condom was missing, and we don't use them. And she knows how big you are. And Rick and Daryl saw you both coming out of the woods together. How could you do this to me? I thought you loved me," Maggie couldn't hide the heartbreak that was in her voice.

Tara felt like her heart had been suffocated in her chest with the look of betrayal that Maggie was giving her. She couldn't believe that everyone was against her, not believing a word that she said.

"The only reason she knows about my size is cuz she sneaked up on me when I was taking a piss that morning when the guys saw me come out of the woods with her. And the condom...I have no idea. I forgot I even had them in there. Lisa must have gotten into my bag and made it seem like we used one. I swear, Maggie, I would never do something like that...you know me," Tara pleaded and begged with Maggie to listen to her.

"I can't even look at you right now," Maggie looked at Tara before shaking her head, and turning away. She felt so betrayed in that moment. She felt like everything they had built together had just been thrown away. She couldn't be near Tara right now, as she walked to the church, needing some kind of solace. Carol glared at Tara before following Maggie into the church.

"How could you?" Rosita asked as she punched Tara hard on the shoulder before following Maggie and Carol into the church.

"Ow! Rosita come on! You know me! I wouldn't sleep with Lisa," Tara tried to get her friend to listen but to no avail.

Sasha and Michonne gave her a look of sympathy before they followed the others into the church. The women knew that Maggie desperately needed their support right now. They could only imagine what she was feeling after being faced with this infidelity.

"If you need to talk come see me later. I'm sure I can get your mind off of things," Lisa winked at Tara, hoping that she would accept her invitation.

Tara just glared at Lisa as the shorter woman walked away, heading behind the church. She couldn't believe that Lisa had somehow successfully orchestrated a huge conflict in her marriage. Now Maggie couldn't even look at her.

Daryl looked at Tara before shaking his head at her, pointing his finger angrily at her. "I should kick your ass for fuckin' that tramp. Can't believe you would put your family in jeopardy just for a quick fuck and easy pussy. Especially when you might have a baby on the way."

"I swear I didn't touch Lisa! You gotta believe me of all people. You know how much I love Maggie. You know I care about Maggie more than I care about myself," Tara tried to plead her case, but Daryl just stomped away from her. Tara felt like this day couldn't get any worse. It seemed like no one was on her side anymore, and she felt utterly alone.

Tara turned to Rick, "Rick, you have to believe me. You know I wouldn't do something like that. Lisa set me up or something cuz I wouldn't sleep with her. I wouldn't cheat on Maggie...she's my girl. She's my everything."

"Tara, I wanna believe you. I really do. But with all the evidence against you, it ain't lookin' good for you at all. All I know is you need to clean up this mess. Talk to Maggie. If you really didn't do it, you need to talk to her," Rick tried to give Tara some advice but admitted it really didn't look like it would go in her favor. If Lisa did plan all this out, she did a hell of a good job.

Rick could only imagine what Maggie was feeling at that moment. He knew what it felt like to be confronted with the betrayal of a spouse. Rick still couldn't admit that he wasn't totally over the whole Lori and Shane incident but at least they had thought he was dead. He felt disappointed in Tara, he thought she would know better.

"Well, I'm on your side even if you did stick your dick in that bimbo. If you need anything, you can talk to me," Abraham said with some sincerity. He knew everyone had their flaws, and women were a major one for Tara. Although, Abraham had some doubt that she would have an affair. He had seen how in love Tara was with Maggie, it was disgustingly cute at best. So an affair just didn't seem plausible to him.

Tara sighed in dejection. She was happy that at least someone seemed on her side, but it still wasn't the exact support she was looking for. She loved Abraham to death, but she could fuck every last woman on earth and he would still be on her side. That was just one of the things she loved about Abraham, he was a brother for life.

Tara watched as Rick gave her a look that she couldn't exactly read. He just sadly shook his head as he turned away, following in the direction Daryl had stomped in.

"You wanna talk about it?" Abraham asked Tara as he placed his arm around her shoulders. He knew she was hurting tremendously with Maggie not even wanting to be around her.

"Maybe later. I just wanna be alone. I'm gonna try to talk to Maggie later," Tara sighed again, wondering if she could still save her marriage.

"Well...for what it's worth, I don't think you stuck your dick in crazy," Abraham confided as he gave her a quick bro hug.

"Thanks, man," Tara said simply as she leaned against a tree, feeling her head start to hurt. This was definitely not the way she had envisioned this day going.

Abraham gave her a last look before he turned away, heading into the direction of the church. Tara wondered what Maggie was doing at that moment. She hoped that she wasn't still crying...Tara hated it when Maggie cried. It always broke her heart to see the woman she loved sad in any way.

Tara lost track of time as she sat against the tree, thinking about how she could make this right with Maggie. Before she realized it, the sky had a blackish color to it as the stars came out in the billions. She realized she must of been sitting in the same spot for at least a few hours. No one had come to see if she was okay and that hurt a bit. Tara felt abandoned by everyone in her family, and no one believed her. She had to admit the "evidence" looked bad against her, but they had to at least give her some credit.

Tara stood up, stretching her legs, looking at the darkness around her. She knew she couldn't go into the church tonight. Maggie probably wasn't ready to talk to her yet, and she had to respect that. It looked like she would be spending the night on the church's back porch which had a small bench.

Tara made her way to the back porch, finding it empty. She wondered where Lisa had run off to. She definitely needed to set that girl straight. Tara laid on the uncomfortable bench, pulling her hoodie tight around her. It was really cold that night and she was thankful she at least had a hoodie to keep her somewhat warm.

She didn't think sleep would ever come but surprisingly it did after she laid there, thinking about Maggie and the test she would be taking in the morning. Before Tara knew it, she was in an unrestful sleep.

* * *

Tara was woken up a couple of hours later by someone sitting in the chair next to her. She realized it was the last person she wanted to see - Lisa. Tara sat up slightly but was surprised when Lisa straddled her, pushing her back down on the bench.

"Why did you lie about sleeping with me? Now Maggie hates me and I'm pretty sure everyone in my group wants to kill me," Tara said angrily, trying to ignore the feeling of Lisa grinding on her.

"All you had to do was give me one good fuck. No one had to know but no. You had to make things difficult. You just had to keep rejecting me, and baby, no one rejects me. I didn't think it would play out as well as it did, but everyone believed me," Lisa grinned with venomous poison seemingly dripping from every word she produced.

"Of course, I said no! I'm married to an amazing woman!" Tara counteracted with frustration. She could feel her body reacting to Lisa's movements which just pissed her off more.

"Who cares about marriage anyways? Besides, it was bound to happen sometime. Either with me or some other chick. You can't stay faithful. Might as well let Maggie see that now," Lisa spat at Tara, deliberately wanting to make her mad. Sex with an angry Tara would probably be intense and rough.

Tara felt anger run through her body. This girl definitely didn't know what she was getting herself into and kept pushing, teasing, taunting. Finally, Tara had had enough, she roughly got up, grabbing Lisa before she fell off of her.

Using all her force, Tara shoved Lisa against the church wall. Lisa gave a small yelp of approval as she realized what she had wanted was finally going to happen.

"Oh fuck...yes...give it to me rough," Lisa cried as she felt Tara press her strong body against her. Just as Lisa was getting used to the feeling, she felt an empty void all of a sudden. She opened her eyes to see that Tara was walking away from her.

"What the fuck? You can't just get me all riled up and walk away," Lisa shouted loudly, irate that Tara would leave her high and dry. The shouts and loud bangs against the walls caught the attention of Rick and Daryl who ran outside, half expecting to find Tara fucking Lisa against the church.

"I told you I didn't want to have sex with you. I had to get you off of me somehow without hurting you," Tara explained as she continued to walk away. Daryl and Rick watched the scene in front of them with great interest.

"I didn't just go through all that planning and sneaking around just so you could walk away from me! You know how long I have been waiting for this ? I thought you would at least fuck me with Maggie out of the picture...at least think with your dick for once!" Lisa shouted, furious that she still wasn't getting her way even after everything she had planned. Her flawless plan hadn't been so flawless after all.

Rick and Daryl heard Lisa's admission of guilt and immediately knew they had been wrong about Tara. Their friend had been telling the truth all along after all. Lisa was just able to fabricate facts and evidence into her favor. Rick realized just how toxic Lisa was, she was willing to go through all that to break up a married couple. He wondered what else she was hiding or up to.

"Just leave me alone, Lisa. I really don't want to hurt you," Tara pleaded to the other woman. Tara was pissed about everything that had happened today. Pissed at Lisa for doing this to her. Pissed at her friends for not believing her. Pissed at the world for dealing another blow at her.

Lisa didn't heed the warning as she marched up to Tara. She took a swing at Tara, who easily was able to duck out of the way. Tara roughly grabbed her arm, trying to control the anger that was directed towards the woman who had seemingly ruined her marriage. After a few tense seconds, she let Lisa go. No matter what, she wouldn't snoop to the level of hitting a woman. Her father had taught her better than that.

Lisa looked at her for a few seconds before stomping away in fury. She couldn't believe she didn't get Tara after all. But she had to admit, Tara did scare her a bit. She really thought she was going to get hit.

Tara watched as Lisa walked away from her. She hadn't noticed that Daryl and Rick had witnessed the whole scene as it unfolded. She didn't know they were there until she felt someone pull her into a hug.

Tara was confused at who was hugging her until she caught a whiff of Daryl's familiar scent. She knew she should be pissed at him for what went down earlier, but she readily accepted the hug.

"I should have known you wouldn't do somethin' like that. That bitch is more conniving than a whore in church on Sunday. Do you forgive me?" Daryl asked as Tara simply nodded her head.

Daryl gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek as Rick laughed at the duo. He was glad that the archer was in better spirits. All evening, he had been in a grumpy mood, muttering that he was going to kick Tara's ass to set her straight. To which Abraham would reply that that's not how you get people to be straight. Only the redhead found his joke funny as the others would glare at him.

"I'm sorry, too. I should have known better. I should have been on your side from the start," Rick apologized as he gave Tara a hug also.

"It's ok guys. I know y'all were all just looking out for Maggie. I really appreciate that. I would have done the same if I saw all the evidence against me," Tara accepted their apologies, just glad to have her friends on her side again.

"I need to talk to Maggie, though. Is she still awake?" Tara asked hoping she was still awake. She didn't think the talk could wait another second, let alone until morning.

"Almost everyone is still awake," Rick said as he watched Tara run towards the church. He really hoped that Maggie would believe what Tara had to tell her. He knew he would back up Tara if needed. Rick looked around, not seeing Lisa anywhere. He thought maybe that was for the best.

* * *

Tara ran into the church, ignoring the hating stares from her friends who were still awake. She would let Rick and Daryl explain everything to them. Right now, she didn't have the time or the patience.

She went over to the designated corner, finding Maggie curled up in a blanket. Tara felt her heart break when she realized that Maggie was crying again. Tara kneeled down as Maggie looked up at her.

"Finally finished fuckin' that slut again? Everyone could hear all the noise goin' on on the back porch," Maggie tried to keep her voice steady, but sobs escaped her mouth. Just picturing Tara with Lisa was enough to have her crying for hours.

"I wasn't fuckin' her, I promise. I was arguing with her. You can ask Rick and Daryl. They saw the whole thing. They heard her confess to setting me up for the whole thing. I never slept with her," Tara explained, hoping that Maggie would believe her.

"What?" Maggie sat up slightly. She suddenly felt awful about accusing Tara of something as horrible as an affair.

"Yeah, she confessed to the whole thing while she was yelling at me. They heard it. They can tell you. Baby, you should know I only want you," Tara said with sincerity in her voice.

Tara was confused when Maggie started crying harder than before. "I'm so sorry...I should've known better. I'm so sorry." Maggie cried as she desperately clung to Tara, gripping her hoodie hard.

"Hey...it's ok. You didn't know. If I saw the proof that Lisa had, I would have thought the same thing. It's not your fault,' Tara tried to soothe Maggie, but could tell she wasn't doing a good job.

"Hey come on," Tara grabbed Maggie's hand as she helped her stand up, leading her to the room that had the couch in it. She made sure the door was locked so they would have some privacy. Tara laid down on the couch, reaching up for Maggie who immediately crawled on top of her.

Maggie took in Tara's familiar comforting scent as she burrowed her face into Tara's chest, letting the last of her tears soak into Tara's shirt. She found solace in the warmth of Tara's arms wrapped securely around her, savoring every second that she was in them.

Tara was just glad to have Maggie back in her arms again. Just a couple of hours ago, she didn't think this would be possible. Tara could hear Maggie's cries lessen as she whispered sweet nothings to her, trying to console her.

Maggie still felt awful about not believing Tara. She should have known better than to accept what Lisa had said. She was so glad to hear that Tara hadn't stepped out of their marriage. Maggie needed her. Their baby needed her. Maggie wasn't sure if she could raise a child on her own. She would have a lot of help granted, but it wouldn't be the same without Tara around.

Maggie realized that she felt even breaths underneath her, realizing that Tara must have fallen asleep, holding her close. Maggie looked up to see that Tara was indeed in a peaceful slumber. She couldn't help herself as she moved her face close to Tara's, glancing at her lips before leaning over, placing a soft kiss on them.

Tara woke up from the kiss, eagerly capturing Maggie's lips into her own. Tara sat up, gently placing her hands on Maggie's face, guiding their lips together. Tara slowly lowered herself down on top of Maggie until the other woman was completely underneath her.

She let her hands wander all over Maggie's body, loving the feel of the curves that her fingertips grazed over. Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, pulling her down so their lips wouldn't part.

A thought crossed Tara's mind. She knew today had been very emotional for Maggie, and she didn't want her to feel obligated to have sex. She just wanted to make sure that this was what Maggie really wanted, and not using it as some way to make it up to her.

"We don't have to, if you don't want to," Tara panted as she placed soft kisses on Maggie's exposed neck.

"Shh..." Maggie breathed, covering Tara's lips with hers in a tender kiss. "No more talking. Not tonight. Just take me. Please."

Tara didn't have to be asked twice. She cradled Maggie's head with one hand, wrapping the other arm around her waist as she kissed her.

Tara felt the warmth of her body and the softness of her skin as Maggie responded to her. Tara moved down to her neck, and Maggie gave a shudder as she nuzzled and kissed her neck and throat, before lightly tracing a line of kisses along the line of her lower jaw, deeply inhaling her natural scent. She smelled faintly like strawberries and cream. Like home, Tara thought, smiling.

Tara moved up her neck and gently nibbled at her earlobe, causing Maggie to shudder again and goosebumps to rise along her arms.

"Oh, yes..." she breathed passionately. "Oh, Tara, yes..."

Maggie tugged at her own shirt, pulling it off with one swift motion. She sat up slightly as Tara reached behind her, unhooking her bra with one hand. They let the articles of clothing fall to the floor.

Tara could hardly breathe as Maggie's gorgeous breasts came into view, she was transfixed. Maggie's nipples were already peaked with excitement and stood atop her breasts, just begging to be sucked.

"They're so perfect," Tara whispered, "You have the nicest nipples I've ever seen."

Maggie just blushed from the compliment. She leaned forward, kissing Tara, then pulled her down slightly, bringing Tara's mouth to her right breast. Tara greedily took her nipple into her hot mouth, closing her lips over the hard little mound, causing her to gasp.

"God, yes!" Maggie cried. "Oh, Tara, you have no idea what that does to me. It makes me so wet..."

"I can't wait to find out," Tara grinned down at her. Maggie started to jerk her hips up into Tara's in response, but Tara quickly stopped her.

"Not so fast. There's still too much I want to explore first," Tara said as she turned her head slightly to her right and took Maggie's left nipple in her mouth, as Maggie arched her back in ecstasy.

After Tara released her nipple, Maggie reached down, unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them off, letting Tara get a look at what was underneath. All Maggie had on now were a pair of black bikini panties that drove Tara wild with desire. She could see how wet Maggie was through the panties. The scent of arousal quickly filling Tara's nostrils.

Nearly nude herself, Maggie set to work undressing Tara. Her nimble fingers unzipped the hoodie, pushing it off and onto the floor. Maggie then made work of the plaid shirt underneath, quickly unbuttoning it, shrugging it off of Tara's shoulders. Finally, she tugged off the black tank top, letting her hands roam over Tara's hot skin. Her fingers tracing the scar left from the bullet that almost took Tara's life.

Once those garments were out of her way, Maggie sat up, pushing Tara back until she was straddling her in place. Maggie bent forward and lavished kisses all over Tara's torso, slowly working her way downward.

When she reached Tara's waist, she undid her belt and unbuttoned her jeans before working them down her legs. Maggie stood, pulling the jeans off, dropping them on the floor, before climbing back on top of Tara.

Maggie took hold of the waistband of Tara's boxers with her teeth and tugged downward until her hard cock popped free as if it was spring loaded. Maggie looked at it admiringly: nine inches long and pretty thick. Tara definitely knew how to use it, always bringing her over the edge of bliss. Maggie could never get enough of having Tara deep inside of her.

Maggie licked the entire length of Tara's cock and kissed all over it, shamelessly fondling it in her hands. Tara was hard as a rock, standing straight up for attention which Maggie gladly gave it.

"Oh, yeah, babe. Suck my cock," Tara panted, her body tingling with pleasure as Maggie teased her throbbing cock.

A drop of pre-cum had leaked out of the tip, and Maggie wrapped her lips over it, using her tongue in a swirling motion like eating an ice cream cone. Then she slid her mouth down over Tara's cock, taking as much as she could to the back of her throat.

Maggie sucked Tara hungrily for a couple of minutes, until her breathing changed, suggesting that Tara was close. She kept on sucking, letting her tongue twirl all over the length. Tara had her hand embedded in her hair, pulling slightly as Maggie continued sucking her off.

After a few more minutes, Tara felt that sensation coursing throughout her body. She held Maggie's head in place as she came in her mouth, feeling the hot spurts of cum escape her cock. Maggie swallowed every drop that came out of Tara, making sure there wasn't a drop left behind.

"Fuck," Tara muttered as her body came down from her intense high. Maggie simply smirked at her. She loved when she was able to leave Tara speechless.

After a couple of minutes, Tara sat up, gently pushing Maggie back. "Get on your back," Tara demanded, "I'm dying to taste your pussy."

Maggie shivered at the roughness in Tara's voice. She laid back and spread her legs, her body trembling with anticipation of where Tara's tongue was about to be.

Tara made a line down the center of her torso with her tongue, then hooked her thumbs in the waistband of Maggie's panties, drawing them down her long legs. Her panties were so wet that the crotch clung to her pussy as Tara pulled them down. She threw them across the room, not caring where they landed.

Tara laid between Maggie's legs and explored her pussy with her tongue, tracing her labia both inside and out, licking her inner thighs, and darting her tongue in and out of her pussy. Maggie kept expecting Tara to go for her clit, but she kept deliberately ignoring it much to Maggie's frustration.

Tara slid two fingers inside of Maggie and massaged the inner walls of her vagina. Once she had them good and coated, she slid them out of her and licked her fingers deliciously. Still, she stayed away from Maggie's ready clit, which was practically begging for her tongue.

"Fuck...you taste so good," Tara said as she savored Maggie's taste on her tongue.

All Maggie could think about was how much her clit was screaming for Tara's attention. She suddenly realized that Tara wanted her to beg for it.

"Please," Maggie moaned. "Please..."

"Please?" Tara asked innocently. "Please what?"

"Please suck my clit. Please. I'll do anything. Just please suck my clit." Maggie begged, causing Tara to smirk.

Tara moved with excruciating slowness, but Maggie could feel her hot breath on her swollen button. Tara gently took her pleasure button into her mouth and caressed it with her tongue. Maggie drew in a huge intake of air, releasing a loud moan as she arched her back involuntarily, thrusting her pussy into Tara's face. God, Tara was so talented with that tongue of hers.

Maggie's body relaxed, slowly lowering herself back down onto the couch as Tara continued to lick and stroke her neglected clitoris. Maggie was beside herself with pleasure. Several times she opened her mouth to tell Tara how amazing she was, but all that came out was a string of unintelligible moans and whimpers.

Tara worked on her clit for a while longer before, apparently, reaching her own limit. She rose from between Maggie's legs and returned to where she had started, kissing her neck and nibbling on her lips.

"Maggie," Tara breathed. "I've got to fuck you. I have to have you right now."

"Yes," Maggie cried, her voice full of need. "Please. I'm yours. Take me."

Maggie spread her legs wide as Tara positioned herself. Her hard, pulsing cock eagerly waiting at Maggie's tight entrance. Tara kissed her deeply, their tongues intertwining as they explored each other's mouths.

"Are you ready?" Tara asked her in a husky voice.

"Oh fuck yes," Maggie moaned. "I've never been so ready. Do it, baby."

Tara lowered her hips onto hers, and Maggie reached down between their bodies to guide Tara into her. Tara thrust forward a little, penetrating her slowly.

Maggie gasped pleasurably and loosely draped her arms behind Tara's neck, gazing deeply into her brown eyes as Tara steadily slid all nine inches into her. Tara let her adjust to her size for a couple of minutes, feeling Maggie stretch around her engorged cock.

Maggie expected that Tara was simply going to fuck her, and hard, but she didn't. Instead, Tara glided luxuriously in and out of her, holding her tight, as her brown eyes never left her green ones. As much as Maggie wanted to be fucked, what she needed even more in that moment was to make sweet love. Especially after the horrible day they had just experienced. Maggie wrapped her arms and legs around Tara, clinging to her, unwilling to let her go even for a second. Tara's hard cock felt so amazing inside of her, giving her sensations she never knew she could feel.

Their bodies rocked together in unison as Tara lavishly made love to her. With each thrust into her, Maggie slid her hips forward. The movement caused Tara to go even deeper, both moaning at the feeling. Maggie felt her orgasm getting closer as her clit rubbed against Tara's pubic bone, pinned as it was between their bodies. Tara was completely in control of her body, she knew that much.

"Oh Tara..." she moaned, lightly letting her fingernails slide down Tara's strong back.

"I'm getting close," Tara warned between pants.

Maggie squeezed Tara tightly with her arms as if she was trying to physically merge their bodies together, and dug her nails into her back. "I'm already there," she whispered hotly into Tara's ear. "I'm just waiting for you."

Tara's breathing changed and her pace did, too, becoming slower but deeper and more forceful as Maggie moaned into her ear. "Give it to me deep. Oh, it feels so good, Tara..."

Feeling Maggie's hot breath in her ear and hearing her beg for mercy pushed Tara over the edge of bliss. She drove into Maggie one final time and froze as she felt her cock spasm inside of her. As Tara's orgasm began, Maggie mentally gave herself permission to cum as well.

Maggie arched her body into Tara, impaling herself deeper on her cock as Tara pushed as deep as possible into her at the same time. Maggie could feel Tara's cock spasming inside her, as her cock filled her up with hot cum. Once, twice, three times Tara squirted inside of her, filling her pussy with cum. Maggie relished the feeling of having Tara's seed deep inside of her. Almost feeling as though Tara had just claimed her as her own.

They both relaxed as their orgasms subsided, and Tara remained on top of Maggie for a good fifteen minutes or more. Tara was in no hurry to dismount her, and Maggie was certainly in no hurry for her to do so, either. Eventually, though, Tara did roll off of her, though she continued to hold Maggie and keep her nestled right beside her.

Tara pulled a blanket over their naked bodies as Maggie snuggled on her. Maggie felt her eyes become heavy with sleep as she nestled into Tara, loving the feel of Tara's skin against her own.

"I'm still sorry about everything.." Maggie whispered in a sleepy voice.

"Shhh...don't worry about that anymore. We're ok now. Get some sleep, baby. Tomorrow is an important day," Tara whispered into the dark room, protectively holding Maggie as close as she could.

Maggie felt some anxiousness in her body as she thought about the pregnancy test she would be taking. She felt Tara grip her closer, which brought a sense of calm and comfort.

"I love you..." Maggie said lazily as her eyes closed, surrendering to sleep.

"I love you too," Tara whispered as she stroked the soft skin on Maggie's back.

Maggie fell into a peaceful somber in Tara's arms that night. The couple had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but for now they just relished in the unconditional love they shared for one another.

* * *

The next morning, everyone hurriedly ate breakfast as they waited for Tara and Maggie to get up. Rick and Daryl had explained the whole Lisa situation to the group who now felt awful for how they had treated Tara.

Rick noticed that Lisa was no where to be found. Father Gabriel had said he hadn't heard from the girl since yesterday afternoon. Rick and Abraham had checked the church and the surrounding woods for any sign of her, but had come up empty. Rick wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. He had a definite feeling that they would be seeing that hussy again. Just like the feeling that they would be graced with the presence of Mike and Jared. He had to wonder if Lisa was somehow connected to them.

Finally, after an hour or so of waiting, Maggie and Tara walked out of the church together. Tara had her arm wrapped around Maggie's waist, pulling her close. Anyone who looked at them, knew the young couple were head over heels for each other.

They made their way to the group who was sitting around on the porch steps. Carol stood up when she saw the young couple approaching. With no hesitation, she pulled Tara into a hug.

"I'm so sorry about yesterday. I should have known better. I was just concerned about Maggie," Carol apologized as the others also voiced their remorse.

"It's ok guys. Y'all were just lookin' out for Maggie. It makes me feel better though. Knowing that if anything ever happens to me, y'all will be there for her," Tara said with sincerity.

"Always will look out for her," Daryl promised as he gave Tara a hug. He was just glad to be on good terms with his best friend again after what a dick he had been to her.

Carol stepped up with a box in her hand, handing it to Maggie. "I think it's time."

Maggie took the pregnancy test from Carol, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. Tara gave her a kiss of support before Maggie headed off into the woods for some privacy. Rosita went with her to make sure she would be alright.

A few minutes went by before the two women emerged from the woods. Maggie had the test in her hand, sending Tara a small smile of uncertainty. Maggie placed the test on the wooden railing of the porch, not sure if she could look at it again.

"How long do we have to wait?" Sasha asked, hoping it wouldn't be too long.

"About ten minutes to make sure it's accurate," Carol answered, looking at her watch.

Daryl let out a long breath, patting Tara on the back for a show of support. Tara sat down on the porch steps, with Maggie soon sitting on her lap. The minutes seemed to creep by for an eternity. Carol kept looking at her watch while the others tried to make the time go by faster.

"Hey...no matter what the results are, me and you together. We'll get through whatever it says," Tara reassured Maggie, wrapping her arms around her small frame.

"Me and you," Maggie agreed as she felt her heart racing nervously in her chest. This seemed like the longest ten minutes of her life.

Finally, the wait was over. Carol stood up as everyone looked anxiously at Tara and Maggie. The results were just a few seconds away. They would finally know if the baby was alright or if Maggie had tragically suffered a miscarriage.

"Ok...time's up," Carol announced to the group who looked expectedly at the young couple.

"I'm too nervous. I can't do it," Maggie announced, not wanting to be the one who looked at the test.

"I can't," Tara simply said. She didn't want to be the one who had to crush Maggie's dreams of being a mother if the result was negative.

"I'll do it then," Carol walked to the porch railing that contained the test. She picked it up carefully to read the results. Tense seconds went by as the group waited with their breathes held.

They couldn't read Carol's face to see if the news was good or bad. Maggie prayed that the results were positive, as she felt Tara grip her tighter.

Carol simply let out a small gasp and looked at the others with her intense eyes. No one could tell from her reaction what she was about to say.

Carol opened her mouth after a few seconds, rereading the results twice to make sure it wasn't a mistake. Maggie and Tara knew the fate of their future was just an instant away.

Carol looked down at all the faces, desperately waiting for an answer, "The test result is..."

* * *

So was that evil or not? But at least we will find out what the result is in the next chapter. Also where did Lisa run off to? That bitch. Do we even care? And Rick is still concerned about Mike and Jared..are they going to show up? Are they somehow connected to Lisa? We will see...

This chapter's song was Faithfully by Journey cuz I was feeling extra corny.

As always thank you so much for a the reviews, views, favs, follows, love, etc. You guys are the best!

Much love to my anonymous reviewer, you always flatter me so! :)


	15. The Kill

Carol stopped herself from blurting out the answer, checking one last time to make sure she was reading the pregnancy test correctly.

"Will you just tell us already? This wait is worse than when I was waitin' to get my head smashed in at Terminus," Daryl complained, getting more impatient by the second. He could only imagine what Tara and Maggie were feeling. He was feeling all sorts of anticipation and it wasn't even his kiddo.

"It's positive!" Carol smiled as she told the others the news, obvious relief gracing her face.

Tara let out the breath she didn't know she was holding as relief flooded her body. She looked at Maggie who had tears of joy coming out of her eyes.

They both looked at each other, both of them beyond happy that their baby was alright. They almost couldn't believe their good luck for once. Maggie leaned forward to give Tara a passionate kiss. All the emotions of uncertainty that she had been feeling over the past few days came pouring out. It almost felt like they were the only ones there, quickly forgetting the others.

After a few seconds of making out, Daryl coughed to get the young couple's attention. They pulled apart when they realized all their friends were watching them.

"Get a room!" Abraham teased with a big smile on his face. He was beyond happy that their little family was going to be alright.

"We'll celebrate later in private," Tara said as she wiggled her eyebrows, making Maggie blush.

Tara and Maggie quickly stood up as Rosita and Carol ran over to gave them each a hug. Daryl practically jumped on Tara, giving her a huge bear hug in congrats. He ruffled her hair as they play wrestled around for a few minutes.

The family spent the next few minutes congratulating the young couple on the good news. They were all excited that a little one would be born in just a few months. That made their goal to get to Washington DC that much more important.

"Tonight, we can celebrate the new addition that will be joining us soon. Then tomorrow we can figure out the whole Washington thing," Rick decided as everyone agreed to the plan.

"Get ready for the whole morning sickness, hormones, food cravings, days where Maggie will want to kill you," Abraham told Tara as she simply shrugged.

"I'm more than ready for all of that," Tara said with confidence.

"That's what you say now," Rick joked, knowing how crazy a pregnant woman's hormones could make her.

"Now whenever we go out on supply runs we gotta find all the baby stuff. I gotta make sure my niece or nephew has the best stuff. Just like we did for little Judith," Daryl exclaimed. He wanted nothing but the best for his best friend's little one.

"Oh god...soon we're gonna have a little Tara running around. Can you imagine all the headaches we're gonna have?" Rosita laughed, knowing that if the kiddo took after Tara then it was going to be very stubborn.

"Hey! I'm not that bad. I'm sure my kid won't cause too much trouble," Tara defended with a smile on her face.

"Yeah right..." Maggie rolled her eyes in a playful manner. She couldn't help but smile as Tara placed her hand on her stomach. Maggie still couldn't believe that a life that they had created together out of love was nestled safely in her body.

"So you guys think of any names?" Sasha asked the question everyone was wondering.

"Nah. I'm sure Maggie has but I haven't yet. It's something we gotta think about together. We have some time though before the little Chambler arrives," Tara said realizing they would have to pick out the perfect name for their little girl or boy.

"He or she is gonna be a little ass kicker with me around," Daryl smiled thinking about all the survival skills he could teach the kiddo.

"At least now Judith will have someone closer to her age to play with," Carl stated, sitting on a blanket with his little sister. Judith was too busy playing with a wooden puzzle to pay any attention to the celebrations around her.

The family talked excitedly about the prospect of having another baby until Father Gabriel walked out of the church, joining their group.

Rick still wasn't entirely sure about Gabriel's back story yet. He knew that the priest was definitely hiding something, but so far Father had been tight lipped about what that secret was. Rick knew for sure though, that Father Gabriel had nothing to do with Mike or Jared.

Of course, those two dimwits were still on Rick's mind. Granted, they hadn't heard or seen them for a few days but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were around somewhere. Rick was afraid that they might have reinforcements and were planning to harm his family in some way. He stayed on high alert as did everyone else. They definitely weren't taking any chances, especially with Judith and a pregnant Maggie.

"I heard the good news. The Lord has blessed you two with a child. And I can tell you two will be great parents," Father Gabriel told Tara and Maggie, genuinely happy for the young couple.

"Thank you so much, Father," Maggie said with a big smile on her face. She still couldn't believe the good news about their baby.

"Thanks Father," Tara stated simply as she shook his hand in thanks.

"You're most welcomed. I am a bit concerned about Lisa though. I haven't seen her since yesterday afternoon and well, I just don't want any harm to come to her," Father Gabriel expressed concern for his friend. He knew there was tension between the group and Lisa but he couldn't just turn his back on her.

"Last I saw her was last night. I don't know where she went or anything. She was pretty upset," Tara informed the priest.

"Yeah, that's when Daryl and I saw her last too. Abe and I looked around the area for her this morning but there was no sign of her," Rick told the others gathered around him. He was sure they didn't care about Lisa's whereabouts, but he felt like it could mean trouble for them down the line if they weren't careful.

"Well, I say good riddance to that five cent wench. She almost broke up our bromance. I don't think I've ever been that mad at ya before," Daryl said as he placed his arm around Tara's shoulders in a protective, playful manner.

"Don't tell me I'm in another relationship where I'm practically married to the best friend also," Maggie smiled at the two friends standing in front of her.

"Damn right," Daryl answered which made the group laugh.

Father Gabriel cleared his throat to get their attention, "What about Lisa?"

"I mean I want to say good riddance too but she won't last long on her own out in the woods," Tara stated, hating that she actually cared if Lisa was alright.

"You shouldn't care. I mean that bitch only lied about you cheating on your wife, got all your friends against you, wouldn't get off your nuts...you know. Normal stuff," Daryl reminded Tara of how conniving and manipulative Lisa had been.

"I'm sure she'll turn up when she realizes she can't hack it out there on her own," Abraham chimed in, not really caring either way if Lisa came back or not. She was a crazy bitch in his opinion.

"Well, if Lisa comes back I'm settin' that harlot straight. Let her know her little games ain't welcomed here. If she ever tries that shit again, I'll show her how we hog tie a pig in Georgia," Daryl said to the amusement of his friends.

"That's fine and all but I really think we should look for her. At least try to. Who knows what might be out lurking in those woods?" Father Gabriel tried to get the group to see that his friend wasn't safe out there on her own.

Rick thought it over for a few minutes. To be honest, he didn't care if Lisa was dead or alive but he figured he could humor the priest. It was the least he could do since they had taken over his church.

"Fine. We'll look some more in the surrounding area, but just for a couple of hours. If we can't find her, then we can't find her. Daryl and Tara, you guys take the South end. Gabriel and I will look around the North. Sasha and Carol can take east. The rest keep a watch over the church. Remember, you see any strangers. Shoot first, ask questions later. We aren't taking any chances," Rick ordered as he went to get his weapons ready.

"Thank you so much, Rick. I'm sure y'all feel the same as I do when I say I don't want to lose anymore people. Plus, I heard y'all want to celebrate the upcoming new arrival later. I have a few bottles of wine you can have. Of course, the expectant mother can't have any," Gabriel gave Maggie a warm smile, which she returned.

"Thank you, Father. Wine would be great. Don't get your hopes up too soon though. We might not find a trace of Lisa," Rick tried to warn Gabriel. He knew the priest viewed Lisa as a friend so he was trying to be sympathetic.

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to pray and try," Gabriel simply said.

Tara made sure her gun had bullets in it before placing it in its appropriate holster. She didn't really want to go looking for Lisa but she wanted to help her friends out at the same time. She figured a couple of hours of walking in the woods wouldn't kill her.

"You ready to head out?" Daryl asked, carrying his crossbow in one hand. He definitely wanted to get this search party over with.

"Yeah, just gotta to say goodbye to the missus," Tara said as she walked over to Maggie, giving her a hug and kiss.

"Be careful out there. You have two of us waiting for you to come back now," Maggie grinned as Tara placed a hand on her stomach.

"I'll always come back to you and peanut," Tara promised as she gave Maggie another kiss before turning away to join Daryl by the edge of the woods.

Maggie watched as Tara walked away, feeling a little saddened that she had to leave. Rosita came to stand next to her as they watched Tara and Daryl disappear into the woods.

"Don't worry...they'll be back before you know it. Let's pass the time by going over some baby names. What about Charles if it's a boy?" Rosita asked as she placed an arm around Maggie, guiding her towards the church.

"Charles. Charles Chambler has a nice ring to it. Little Charlie," Maggie thought it over in her head as she went back into the church with Rosita, both of them talking excitedly about some more prospective baby names.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tara and Daryl had walked miles upon miles into the woods, looking for any tracks or signs of Lisa. So far the duo had not encountered anything that told them that she was anywhere near their location.

"I still say good riddance to that dick jumpin' home-wrecker. We don't need that kind of woman around anyways," Daryl complained as he checked the grass, looking for any indentions in the ground.

"I know but Father Gabriel seems really worried so we might as well look around to humor him. I really think she might have gotten eaten by a walker to be honest," Tara said as she looked around her surroundings, looking for anything that seemed out of place.

"We can only hope," Daryl laughed as Tara joined him. The trek in the woods had been a quiet one so far - no sign of any people or walkers around.

"Hopefully, we can start heading to Washington soon. I'm really nervous about finding someplace that has some kind of medical care for Maggie and the baby," Tara confided to her best friend. It was the number one thing on her mind, and now that they knew for sure that Maggie was still pregnant, her worry about it only grew tenfold.

"Don't worry. We'll find somethin'. We're all determined that Maggie and the baby will both be fine by the end of this. No matter how far we have to travel," Daryl tried to give Tara some peace of mind on the matter.

"All I know is I can't lose Maggie. I'm definitely not cut out to raise a kid on my own," Tara said as she felt some sadness over the thought.

Daryl pulled Tara into a brotherly hug. "Don't worry, it won't come to that. We'll find somethin'. We have to."

Tara gave him a small smile in appreciation before continuing their task at hand. The two kept on walking deeper into the woods still not finding anything out of the ordinary. Just as they were about to head back, realizing that two hours had since passed, Daryl spotted something peculiar in the distance.

"There's somethin' over there," Daryl whispered as he got his crossbow ready just in case. Tara pulled out her handgun, trying to figure out what Daryl was seeing.

Daryl led the way to the object he had spotted. He let his crossbow relax at his side when he came upon a tree, but wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to be looking at. Tara looked at the scene in front of her with interest. Not sure what any of it meant.

On the tree in front of them was a female deer, nailed somehow onto the tree. It's neck had been slightly cut just so some blood would drip steadily. It's abdomen had been demolished by walkers passing by, some guts hanging on by a thread of visceral tissue. It was clear the animal had been alive when it had been fiercely torn apart. Dried blood covered the bottom part of the tree and the ground around it. It was definitely a gruesome scene.

Above the deer was a weird symbol of some sorts, something neither friend had seen before. A circle with a capital V written in the middle of it; another line going horizontally in the middle of the V. The symbol was written in blood, which was caked onto the tree.

Tara tried to remember if that symbol correlated with any of the gang tags she had learned about in the police academy but came up empty. Whoever had left that deer behind definitely wanted to get some type of message across.

"Whoever did this is some sick fuck," Daryl commented as Tara nodded her head in agreement. Of course, Daryl hunted when he needed to get some fresh meat but he always made sure it was a fast kill so the animal wouldn't suffer. Whoever tortured that poor deer was some sadistic motherfucker and not someone they wanted to cross ways with. Or worse, another pack of sick, sadistic people to deal with.

"What do you think it means?" Tara asked as Daryl looked around the area looking for any tracks to point towards the perpetrators.

"I'm not sure but it can't be good. They might be even markin' territory which we're clearly in. We should high tail it out of here before they catch wind of us and follow us back to the church. Knowing sick fucks like that, they'll probably want supplies, women, or just to kill for the hell of it," Daryl said with a worried tone in his voice. He definitely didn't want to bring any unwanted visitors back to the church.

"I wonder if Mike and Jared are affiliated with whoever left this," Tara wondered as Daryl grabbed her arm leading her back towards the way they came from.

"Maybe, but let's get out of here before we bring trouble home," Daryl hastily led the way with Tara following close behind. Both of them kept an extra eye out for anything suspicious on their way back.

When the duo arrived back, they realized that they were the last ones to arrive back. Lisa was still nowhere in sight which meant no one had found her wandering about. Rick was starting to get worried when an hour had gone by and there was still no sign of his runners. Maggie immediately greeted Tara her usual way with a big hug and a passionate kiss which Tara thoroughly enjoyed.

Tara and Daryl took Rick aside to tell him what they had discovered in the woods. The leader decided that tomorrow they would leave for Washington DC. He didn't want to stay any longer than necessary with the growing risks around them surfacing.

Rick told the family of the plan, leaving out the part about the gruesome find in the woods. He didn't want to cause any unnecessary worry and just wanted his friends to relax their last night at the church. He would just be extra vigilant tonight since everyone's safety was in his hands.

Rick even offered to let Father Gabriel join them on their trip. The priest gladly accepted, knowing that he needed the group for survival. Without them, he was just walking biter food. Rick knew the priest was still hiding something and he was determined to find out what. Especially after Carl had shown him some carvings on the side of church that read, 'You'll burn for this.'

After talking to Rick, Tara sat down on the church steps next to Maggie, wrapping an arm around her wife's waist. Maggie leaned into her, playfully biting Tara's earlobe, which made her body tremble with pleasure.

"I'm pretty horny all of a sudden. It must be the hormones," Maggie said as she bit on Tara's earlobe again, before placing a few soft kisses on her neck.

"If this is the hormones the guys were talkin' about then I'm definitely ready for them," Tara laughed before she felt Maggie bite her hard on the neck, sending shivers up and down her spine.

"I want you right now...I can't wait..." Maggie whispered in Tara's ear, her hot breath making her cock twitch.

That was all the urging Tara needed. She quickly grabbed Maggie's hand, helping her stand up. Just then Rosita showed up to talk to Maggie about something.

"Sorry, Rosita. Your conversation with Maggie is gonna have to wait. I have some business to take care of if you know what I mean," Tara had a big smile on her face, knowing what was about to transpire.

"Oh so that means I gotta wait a minute or two?" Rosita joked as Maggie tried to suppress her giggles.

"Hey! It will be way longer than that," Tara retorted as Rosita just laughed, shaking her head.

Tara knew they would have to be quick since everyone was up and about, so she led Maggie to the room where there was a lock and they wouldn't be disturbed.

* * *

Tara immediately pulled Maggie inside the empty room. She closed the door and locked it quickly.

"Mmmmm, it's so good to have you all to myself now," Tara said as she pulled Maggie close to her while they stood against the wooden door.

"I've been waiting all afternoon for this," Maggie ran her hands up Tara's arms, feeling the goosebumps on her skin. She ran her fingers up until they were running through Tara's dark brown hair. Maggie guided their faces together, wanting to taste Tara.

Tara groaned as their lips crushed together in a series of passionate kisses. Tara's hands reached around to grab Maggie's ass, which earned her a surprised yelp. Core to core, Maggie could feel how much Tara already wanted her.

Feeling confident, Maggie's hand grabbed the back of Tara's head and pulled her even closer. Maggie kissed Tara with enough enthusiasm to make her dizzy. Hands moving quickly, Tara felt her way up Maggie's sides to her breasts.

Maggie groaned into her mouth as Tara grasped Maggie's breasts, squeezed and teased her nipples with her thumbs. Maggie trailed her hands down Tara's back to grab onto her hips. Grinding against Tara, Maggie felt electricity shoot down her arms, through her torso and settle into her lower stomach.

Tara quickly pulled off Maggie's shirt, and discarded the lacy bra that stood in her way, baring Maggie's breasts to her hungry gaze. Lowering her head, Tara took a nipple into her mouth. She sucked hard, while lightly pinching the other nipple. Maggie moaned out in ecstasy, arching against her. Tara switched sides as Maggie became lost in the sensation, resting her head back against the door behind her.

"Oh God, Tara! That feels so good!" Maggie moaned, trying not to be too loud.

Tara lifted her head and looked at Maggie as she quickly unbuttoned her jeans. Maggie helped Tara take them off, tossing her jeans aside.

"You feel so good, too," Tara reached down and cupped Maggie's pussy in her hand. Tara could feel the heat and wetness right through Maggie's panties. A second later, she was pulling them down quickly and tossing them off to the side. Kissing her way back up Maggie's neck and jaw, Tara slid a finger deep inside her.

"Oh fuck," Maggie panted. She reached for the button on Tara's jeans and tore it open, sliding down the zipper.

Maggie trailed her hand down Tara's stomach and reached inside her jeans for her hard cock. Tara groaned long and deep when Maggie wrapped her hand around the solid dick.

Looking slightly up, Maggie whimpered as she felt Tara's finger deep inside her. Blood was pounding through her system so fast she couldn't hear anything except her heartbeat. Maggie moaned in protest as Tara removed her finger from her wanting pussy in order to push her own jeans down.

Grasping Maggie roughly by the hips, Tara raised her up slightly and rubbed her cock along her throbbing wet slit. Breathing unsteadily, Tara slowly slid her hard cock into Maggie's sopping wet pussy. Crying out, Maggie lifted up a leg to ease Tara's entry.

Tara lifted her up until Maggie's legs were wrapped tightly around her waist. This position helped slide Tara's erection deeper inside her. Maggie loved the sensation of having Tara so deep, she felt so good there. Maggie tightened her pelvic muscles around the hard cock settling inside her.

Tara groaned in response as she started pumping inside Maggie with long but fast strokes. All that could be heard throughout the room was the sound of two bodies slapping together, along with the panting breaths of those involved. Faster and faster, Maggie could feel Tara's cock rubbing the underside of her clit. Maggie started to tremble as her orgasm rushed forward. She buried her face in Tara's neck as the sensation took over and all rational thought fled her mind.

Tara stopped moving and just kept herself seated inside Maggie. Tara's breathing was uneven as she kicked her jeans completely off. Still holding Maggie against her, Tara walked over to the couch and laid her down on it. Tara slid out of Maggie's hot, tight body and sat next to her.

Maggie's eyes opened slowly."You didn't...?" she questioned.

"I will. In a little bit. Right now this is about you," Tara leaned down and kissed her gently.

Starting at Maggie's neck, Tara traced her tongue down her collarbone to her breasts. Taking time to bite then suck each rock hard nipple, Tara continued kissing and licking down her ribs. Tara smiled to herself as she placed a soft kiss on Maggie's stomach before going further down.

Maggie wiggled around, arching up when Tara paid particular teasing attention to her hips. Moving further down, Tara kissed her way up one ankle to Maggie's thigh. By the time she had finished the other leg, Maggie was panting again, need coursing through her, having fully recovered from her earlier orgasm.

The scent of Maggie's arousal calling to her, Tara tucked her head between Maggie's thighs while she slid both hands under her ass and zeroed in. Tara's tongue circled her clit slowly, sucking on the excited bud. Maggie's ragged breathing told Tara that she could make her come again with very little effort. She ran the tip of her tongue lightly along the edge of those soft pussy lips, eliciting a strangled cry from Maggie. After a few seconds, Maggie arched her hips so that her wet pussy was right in Tara's face, needing and wanting all of her attention.

"You really want it huh?" Tara looked up at Maggie with a mischievous glint shining bright in her dark brown eyes. The green eyes that looked back at her were clouded with lust.

"Don't tease..." Maggie moaned. Grinning, Tara decided to take pity on her and lowered her head again.

Firmly running her tongue up and down Maggie's clit, Tara moved her right hand to be able to slide two fingers inside the soaking wet pussy in front of her. Tara stroked Maggie steadily as her liquids coated her fingers quickly. Maggie's moans grew faster and faster, taking on a more desperate tone as Tara increased the pace of both her fingers and tongue.

Maggie's breathing hitched once, then twice, as she hit her peak and flew over the edge. Warmth bathed Tara's fingers as Maggie's slippery juices gushed over them. Tara slowed her pace down to let Maggie recover a little. Withdrawing them gently, Tara licked each finger, savoring Maggie's flavor.

A minute or so later, Maggie had recovered enough as she sat up on her elbows and looked at Tara.

"Stand up," Maggie said with a nod of her head.

Getting up, Tara stood next to the couch. Maggie sat up and reached for Tara's still hard cock. Wrapping her hand around Tara, she gathered some pre cum in her hand and slid it up and down a few times. She licked her lips and looked up at Tara.

"Your turn," Maggie said just before engulfing the shiny head in her mouth. Tara groaned loudly as she grasped the back of Maggie's head lightly. Maggie lightly sucked on the end of Tara's cock, while her hand worked the base. She then slid her mouth as far down Tara's hard cock as she could get it.

Tara let out a strangled moan and her knees shook slightly. Sucking, Maggie again wrapped her other hand around her base and bobbed her head up and down Tara's length, tongue licking on the way up. Tara couldn't stand it anymore, she needed to feel Maggie from the inside. Tara suddenly grabbed Maggie's shoulders, pushing her back against the couch, before getting on top of her.

Maggie had other ideas though. She sat up slightly, gently pushing Tara back until she was straddling her in place. Tara groaned as Maggie lightly bit her lower lip then licked to soothe it. Lifting her leg over Tara's torso, Maggie slid down, feeling their naked skin rub deliciously against one another's.

When her pussy came to the tip of Tara's cock, she moved her hips up and then down slightly. Their cries mingled together as Tara slid deep inside. Leaning forward, Maggie's hands gripped Tara's shoulders as her hips began to move sinuously. Rubbing back and forth, Maggie could feel the cock deep inside her while her clit rubbed perfectly against Tara's pelvic bone.

Maggie picked up her speed as she felt the tingling start in her spine, signaling she was about to cum. Panting heavily, Tara gripped Maggie's hips firmly as she thrust upwards with an increasing intensity. Bodies slapping together, Tara's grunts joined Maggie's cries of pleasure as they kept up the intense pace.

Knowing Maggie was ready for another orgasm, Tara increased the force of her strokes until she felt a gush of warm wetness coat her cock as Maggie all but collapsed on top of her. Maggie cried out Tara's name as she experienced another earth shattering orgasm.

Tara finally allowed herself to let go, feeling herself explode deep inside of Maggie. Tara thrusted her hips a few more times as Maggie's pussy made sure every drop was out of her cock.

They laid together for a few minutes before the couple reluctantly decided to get dressed before someone came looking for them. From their disheveled appearance, it wasn't hard to guess what they had been up to.

They joined the rest of the group outside, who were doing various tasks and not paying much attention to them. Maggie went to join Rosita to see what she needed to talk about.

"Ladies," Tara tipped an imaginary hat in their way and winked as she walked by causing both Rosita and Maggie to laugh.

"You're such a dork! Don't be actin' all cocky just cuz you got laid," Rosita yelled at Tara as she kept on walking away.

"I'll try not to! Can't promise anything!" Tara turned briefly to respond before continuing on her way to see what she could help with.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent packing up everything into the van so they could leave in the morning. Daryl took a good look at the grey puffy clouds above them, knowing a storm was probably going to hit that night.

"Looks like a storm's a-brewin'. Probably will hit durin' the night but should be gone by mornin'," Daryl told the others as they were packing up the last of their gear into the van.

"As long as it's not a tornado, we should be fine," Carol said as she threw one last bag into the van before shutting the door. She was definitely looking forward to having a glass of wine later.

The sun was starting to set over the horizon as dark grey clouds began to cover up the last of its remaining light. The wind steadily picked up, and the smell of rain filled the air as Daryl's storm began to slowly roll into the area.

"Is it wine time yet?" Rosita asked as the cool wind hit her skin which was a refreshing feeling.

"God, I hope so! With the whole baby thing going on my nerves need some wine," Carol exclaimed as some of the others nodded in agreement.

"Wine? That's so weak. Abe, you gotta have some real liquor for us to drink," Tara asked, hoping the soldier had something stronger than some wine.

"Well, I was saving this but since we are celebrating the baby and new adventures, I guess I can crack the bad boy open," Abraham went into the van, grabbing his bag from under the back seat. He dug around for a few seconds before pulling out a bottle rum.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Tara exclaimed excitedly as Abraham handed her the bottle of the dark liquor.

"Where do you keep gettin' this stuff?" Daryl asked. It always seemed like Abraham always had some kind of liquor on him.

"I have my ways. Just be glad I got it. Otherwise, you be drinkin' that pussy wine shit," Abraham laughed as Tara nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright guys, don't get too wasted tonight. We have a long day tomorrow, and we don't need to hear y'all complaining about hangovers all day," Rick grinned. He was happy that everyone seemed in good spirits and so far there had been no trouble.

Suddenly, there was a loud clap of thunder as lightening brightened up the sky above them, signaling that the storm was about to hit. Rick ushered everyone inside the safety of the church before locking up the van.

Just as Rick stepped into the doorway of the church, the sky released buckets upon buckets of rain. The rain pelted the church as the rough wind blew around the wooden structure. The warmth from the fireplace lit a orange-yellow glow all around the room as the family sat in the worship center just talking and laughing.

Rick noticed that Father Gabriel was quiet and not engaging much in the conversation going around him. Rick walked over to him, stopping briefly by Tara to give her a fist bump. Maggie was securely sitting between Tara's legs as she talked to Carol and Sasha about something he couldn't quite hear. Tara was busy laughing with Daryl and Abraham as they filled their glasses with more and more rum.

Rick sat down on the pew next to Father Gabriel, looking at him for a few brief seconds before speaking. "Thank you for the use of your church, leadin' us to the homeless shelter, and the wine. But I need to know what you're hidin' if you're leavin' with us tomorrow. I don't know if I can trust you fully around my family. And if what you're hidin' hurts any of them in any way I will kill you. So just talk..we've all done stuff. Everyone here has done somethin' to survive."

Gabriel sighed before tears starting to fall from his eyes. His cries caught the attention of everyone around him as they all turned to him. All other conversation had stopped as they all listened to his story.

"When this disease or whatever it is happened, I barricaded myself in the church. People from my flock came to the only sanctuary they knew. They gathered around the doors, pounding on them for me to open up. But I was a coward. I didn't open the doors," Gabriel paused briefly before continuing.

"They begged for me to open up the doors...that the creatures were coming. I hid instead. I didn't open the doors. I can still hear their screams for mercy in my dreams. The sounds of the walkers ripping them apart. Men, women, children, all members of my church. They were all demolished. And now I'm damned by the Lord to suffer my punishment whenever that may come. I thought you all would kill me and that would be my punishment but no it's not," Gabriel finished up his story as his tears fell harder. He tried to wipe them away but they kept falling.

Rick let out a deep sigh. He definitely wasn't expecting that kind of confession from the priest. He looked at the others and could see that they were all equally surprised.

Before Rick could say anything to Gabriel, the sound of a gunshot being fired into the air sounded from outside. Rick immediately forgot all about the priest as he jumped up and cautiously looked out the window. He was soon joined by Daryl, Tara, Abraham, and Carol as they took a look at who fired the warning shot.

Standing outside in the pouring rain was a man, who was wearing a black leather jacket with gloves and a hockey mask that covered his face completely except for his eyes. Whenever a flash of lightening filled the sky, it lit up the man's silhouette causing him to look more fearsome with the shotgun by his side.

"Fuck...why do we always run into the psychos? It's probably that deer fucker," Daryl said as Abraham and Carol looked at him confused.

"Whoever it is means business. Everyone get your weapons ready, just in case this goes south," Rick warned as the group got prepared for an upcoming battle, making sure all their guns were loaded and ready.

"Come on out! I just want to talk!" The man yelled loudly in a robust deep voice. They could barely hear him with the mask he was wearing, the heavy rain, and rowdy wind.

"Come on, Rick! Daryl, Tara, Carol, Michonne, Abraham, Eugene, Carl, Rosita, Sasha, Father, little Judith, and Maggie, who might be expecting if I'm not mistaken," the sinister man yelled out as Rick felt his heart rate quicken. This stranger knew their names, who knew what else he might know.

Rick felt his rage grow as he marched over to Gabriel, grabbing him by his shirt. "Who are you workin' with? I'll kill you right now if I have to," Rick threatened as the priest shook with fear.

"I swear I don't know! Please don't hurt me! I swear I don't know who that is!" Gabriel cried as Rick let him go, pacing back and forth for a few seconds.

"Come on, Rick! Come out and talk. No one has to die!" The stranger yelled again, growing impatient by the sound of his voice.

Rick pointed to Daryl and Tara. "You two come with me in case backup is needed. The rest of you be ready for whatever comes."

Tara ran to Maggie, giving her a quick kiss before joining Rick and Daryl at the door. Rick took a deep breath before looking at his two friends.

"You ready?" Rick asked as they both nodded, weapons drawn.

Daryl opened the door as the three of them stepped out, the rain immediately soaking their clothes to their skin. The man in front of them seemed satisfied that they had finally stepped out of the safety of the church.

Daryl and Tara looked around the surrounding woods, trying to see of there were any others but the pouring rain and total darkness made it hard to see. A flash of lightening illuminated the sky as the trio finally reached the burly man, hockey mask still in place.

"Nice of you to finally come out, Rick. And let me see...the redneck must be Daryl and you must be Tara. Forgive me if I'm wrong, I only have descriptions to work with," the man gave a sinister laugh.

"What's it to you, fuckface?" Tara asked in a defiant manner. Rick placed a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her down.

"That's some attitude you've got there, especially when you don't know what kind of manpower I'm working with," the stranger tried to intimidate Tara, glaring at her through the hockey mask.

"What she means is that you have us at a slight disadvantage. See? You seem to know our names but we don't know yours," Rick tried to keep things at a civil level for as long as he could.

"The name my mother gave me is long gone. People call me Lucifer nowadays and I'm the leader of the Vigilantes. I see you two stumbled across my territory marker earlier," Lucifer looked at Daryl and Tara as they both remembered the deer.

"Vigilantes? Sounds like some punk ass wannabe gang," Tara said out loud before she could stop herself.

Lucifer turned to stare at her, his eyes full of contempt. "You'll wish that's all we were. My men and I right the wrongs we perceive that need righting. Of course, we aren't above morals in this day and age. We will take what we want also, no matter the cost."

Rick kept a watch on the trees around them, looking for any sign that there were any others hidden around. His eyes couldn't make out anything as rain water dripped from his hair and beard, as it kept falling at a steady rate.

"I know you put a number on that Mike fella. Those two dimwits were part of my group unfortunately. They were working around fine until they wanted to get too greedy and decided to sleep with my main girlfriend. When I caught those fuckin' bastards, I told them that if they wanted to live then they had to bring me a new one to replace the girl they had defiled. Of course, they failed so I killed them. And the slut too," Lucifer said with no emotion or empathy in his voice.

"Then this pretty little thing came running into my territory. Cute, tight body, legs that don't quit. I know y'all know who I'm talkin' about, especially you Tara. Lisa ring a bell?" Lucifer asked as the three friends in front of him kept quiet. He smiled even though he knew his mask hid his yellow teeth.

"Well, she gave us a sob story about how your group killed her brothers and one of y'all raped her repeatedly. She led us to the bodies of her brothers. To be honest, it looked like they had been devoured by walkers but the bitch can think what she wants. Told her if she wants my help then she will have to give me a little somethin' and boy did she! And a few of the guys also," Lucifer looked at the church in the background before continuing.

"Lisa told us all about your group so we wouldn't be surprised if we decided to attack. Told us how many there are. That there are children among you. Where you're heading off to. Told me all about you, Tara. Now, we can all avoid bloodshed on one condition," Lucifer stopped as Rick glared at him.

"What's the condition?" Rick asked. He hated that they were in this situation because of Lisa. She had been nothing but trouble from the beginning, and now it might cost some lives.

"Give us the rapist so we can kill them for Lisa. And well, that will be the end of it. Everyone goes their separate ways and we all live happily ever after. If you don't, I'm just gonna kill all three of you and whoever else may be a problem to my authority. Then I'll take whatever women and children you have and use them until I get bored. Pretty fair options in my opinion," Lucifer glared at Rick through the mask, satisfied that he was in charge of the situation.

"No one raped that bitch! She's lyin' through her teeth like a snake! We don't have that kind of people here unlike you sick fucks," Daryl marched up to Lucifer, pointing his finger angrily at him.

"Well, according to her one of y'all did. So just hand them over so we can get the kill over with. I really hate being out in the rain. I don't want to get sick," the burly man complained, getting impatient again.

"Who does she claim did it?" Rick asked, even though they all knew the answer. He swore he was going to kill that bitch when he laid eyes on her again.

"Tara," Lucifer stated with no emotion. If he was honest, he liked the act of killing. It satisfied his blood thirst and now he could actually get away with it. In the old society, Lucifer would have been locked up for life. Here though, he could do what he pleased.

Rick felt his mouth go dry when the enemy finally revealed the name. Daryl shook his head, vowing to kill that Lisa bitch when he saw her. There would be no mercy for that cunt.

Tara didn't know what to think. She just knew somehow her name would come up when Lisa had been mentioned. Now she had a choice: let this douchebag kill her and leave her family alone or defy him and possibly put everyone in danger. Tara didn't know if they could trust his word. Who's to say he wouldn't attack even after he killed her.

"That fuckin' cunt!" Daryl yelled out in frustration. Just when things were going good for them, now this had to happen. They could never catch a break.

"No. You ain't getting her," Rick simply stated as turned down Lucifer's offer. Tara hastily grabbed his arm.

"Wait! Rick, if you hand me over then everyone might be able to make a break for it. Y'all could be long gone by the time they're through with me. Knowing them, they will take their time and torture me," Tara just wanted to make sure that the rest of the family was out of harms way, especially Maggie and the baby.

"She's right about the torture part. In fact, Lisa is the one that wants to oversee it all. She plans on cutting your dick off," Lucifer said as if what Lisa had planned was the most normal thing ever.

Tara grimaced at the thought, "At least I got to use it one last time."

Tara and Rick looked at each other, a silent plan seemingly forming between the both of them. Hopefully, it could go off without a hitch. Otherwise, Tara was in for a world of hurt. They nodded to each other, Tara putting all her trust in that Rick would be able to pull off the plan.

"We can't! I can't just leave you here," Daryl protested as he felt tears start to come to his eyes. The rain was still falling heavily around them, his tears getting lost in it.

Tara put her hands on his shoulders, trying to steady him. "It'll be ok. Rick will know what to do," she tried to get the message to her best friend that a plan was in motion.

Daryl seemed to get the message as he tried to compose himself. He wiped his wet hair out of his eyes as he nodded.

"Fine. We'll give her up. But on one condition. You let the rest of my group leave in the van before you start the torture. We don't want to see that," Rick said sternly, not believing he was actually going to do this and hoped luck was on their side.

"I can do that. Hey everyone! We have reached an agreement!" Lucifer yelled as about fifteen people stepped out of the shadows, all of them wearing masks. Lisa came out from behind the trees. She had a big smirk on her face as Daryl and Rick tried to control their anger at the sight of her.

"Fuckin' bitch," Daryl muttered with hatred.

Lisa just laughed, "Yeah, a bitch who wins in the end."

"Now you two best be on your way now. I'll give you five minutes to get out of here before I unleash a tirade of bullets," Lucifer ordered as Rick and Daryl took a last look at Tara. They weren't sure if they would ever see her alive again.

"Take care of Maggie for me. Just in case," Tara said as Daryl gave her a hug.

"We will...you know we will. And I promise your kid will know who you are," Daryl promised as he reluctantly turned away from his best friend.

Two men came up from behind Tara, restraining her so she wouldn't try anything in defiance. They took her gun and knife, throwing them on the ground. Tara watched as Rick and Daryl ran into the church, closing the door behind them. A minute or two went by until the door opened again, and the group started to pile out.

Tara watched as Rick opened the van doors so everyone could get in. She watched as her friends gave her a worried look before piling into the van as fast as they could.

Tara almost felt her resolve fade away when Maggie came into view. It was obvious that she was sobbing while Carol and Rosita were restraining her from running into Tara's direction. Tara could feel some tears start to build up behind her eyes. She kept her composure as Daryl got Maggie into the van. Silently, Tara told Maggie how much she loved her and if this didn't work out then she hoped she would be happy in life.

Finally, everyone was in the van as the engine started. Lucifer and his group watched as van backed up and started down the dirt road that was full of mud from the rain. They all watched until the vehicle was out of sight.

"Well, here you go, Lisa. You wanted your rapist. Now do as you please," Lucifer told Lisa as she walked up to Tara.

"I never raped you, you crazy bitch," Tara defended herself as the men behind her roughly grabbed her.

"Well, doesn't matter now does it? Your group gets to leave and I get you. Everyone's happy. Now kneel down," Lisa ordered as Tara just glared at her, defying her request.

"I think the lady gave you an order," Lucifer demanded as he kicked Tara's legs out from under her, causing her to kneel down.

"That bitch can go to hell for all I fuckin' care," Tara spat out at the woman in front of her.

"You can't talk to my woman like that," Lucifer said as he kicked Tara again with his boot.

Tara winced as his kick landed right in her ribs, causing her to fall on the ground. He gave her a few more kicks for good measure before stopping himself. Tara stayed down for a few minutes before she was able to return to a kneeling position.

She coughed up some blood as she spat it out at Lisa's shoes. Lisa just gave her a satisfied smirk, knowing she had complete control over Tara.

"So what do you want to do her before the chopping off of the dick? We can shoot her, beat her with a baseball bat, stab her. Whatever you want," Lucifer said as if they were picking out a restaurant to have dinner at.

Lisa thought about it for a few minutes. This was her only chance so she wanted it to be perfect. In her eyes, Tara had wronged her so now she had to pay.

"I think a few stabbings will be a good start. Then the baseball bat. Maybe a beating or two thrown in for good measure also," Lisa excitedly exclaimed as she laid out the plan for the others.

Tara stayed silent as she listened to Lisa's sick plan. She tried to prepare her body for whatever pain she was about to experience. She really hoped her friends wouldn't be too late. Otherwise, she would be a goner.

Unfortunately, Tara didn't think they would make it in time before she got injured in some way. She could only hope it wasn't a serious injury.

Lisa stood in front of her with a sadistic smile on her face. Tara just glared at her with hatred, she would never show fear to that wench.

"By the time this is over with, you're gonna be wishing you were dead," Lisa told Tara with ruthlessness dripping in her voice.

"It's better than having sex with you," Tara snapped back at her.

Lisa slapped Tara hard on the face, the rain water intensifying the sting she felt. Lucifer could see that Lisa was teetering with anger. He knew it was time to get the show started.

"Let the games begin," Lucifer laughed as he gave Lisa a hunting knife that had a five inch sharp blade. Lisa eagerly took the knife from his hand. She was a bit unsure on where to begin.

"Stabbing them in the side is always fun," the masked man gave Lisa a few pointers since this was her first time doing something like this.

Tara stared at Lisa, watching as the woman hesitated to cross that final line. Lisa stood uncertain for a few seconds before someone yelled at her to hurry up. Without anymore thought, Lisa brought the knife forward and into Tara's side before pulling it out completely, the blade red with blood that was quickly washed away with the falling rain.

Tara immediately felt pain as the knife met her flesh. She looked down, seeing dark red blood seeping onto her shirt. Tara took a deep breath as she tried to ignore the agony that took over her body. She was determined to keep her kneeling position, not wanting to show any vulnerability.

Lisa quickly dropped the knife. The sensation of stabbing another person hadn't been as exciting as she thought it would have been. She decided it was time to try another tactic.

"Bring me the baseball bat," Lisa ordered as one of the men brought a Louisville Slugger to her.

"The trick is, you want to swing right into the skull. The crack that happens when you hit just the right spot is the best," Lucifer instructed his girlfriend as she swung the bat a few times to get a feel for it.

Tara mentally prepared herself for the end. She knew if she got hit on the head with that bat then it was all over. She knew how deadly a baseball bat could be. Tara remembered what had happened to Glenn when Thomas had beat him to death with one.

Tara closed her eyes, thinking about Maggie, hoping that she would be able to move on after this. That she would be able to raise their child on her own. She felt Lisa's ominous presence behind her. She heard Lisa get the bat ready to swing. Tara took one last deep breath, preparing for the pain that she was about to endure.

Just as Lisa got her swing ready, a gun shot filled the air as a body fell in front of Tara. She opened her eyes to see Lucifer dead from a head shot. The Vigilante group looked surprised as more shots rang out around them, hitting some of them. The rest returned fire as a gun battle waged on.

Tara knew she wasn't in the best position to be in during a gun battle - out in the open as both sides fired. She crawled to where her gun and knife had been thrown earlier, quickly securing her weapons. Ignoring all the pain she felt, Tara skillfully shot at two of the enemies, bringing them both down.

Tara stayed low to the ground, trying to avoid all the bullets that flew around her. She didn't know where Lisa had run off to. Hopefully, that bitch would get what was coming to her.

Suddenly, Tara felt a presence next to her. She instantly relaxed when she realized it was Daryl. He quickly put his arm around her shoulders, helping her stand up. Promptly, they walked to the edge of the woods, ducking bullets as they went.

Rick and Sasha were covering them as they finally made it to their hiding spot. Tara immediately collapsed against a tree, clutching her side. Daryl kneeled down next to her.

"Are you hurt?" Daryl asked as he looked her over.

"Yeah, probably just a scratch," Tara lifted her black shirt a bit to show him her stab wound.

"Shit!" Daryl said as Tara took off her plaid shirt to apply pressure to the wound. She winced in pain as the fabric touched her flesh.

Meanwhile, Lisa was trying to run away from all the bullets. She couldn't see where she was going as she tripped over a tree branch. Before she could get up, two people jumped out from behind a tree. Lisa knew she was in trouble when Maggie and Carol came into view.

"Listen...I know you both hate me but maybe y'all can just let me go. No harm done," Lisa tried to plead her case to the two women in front of her.

"Yeah there's no way in hell you are getting away after everything you have done," Carol said, hatred filling her eyes.

"You picked the wrong people to mess with," Maggie agreed as they both raised their guns towards Lisa.

"So you want to do the honors? Or me?" Carol asked as Lisa tried to to beg for mercy.

"I'll do it," Maggie said simply as she raised her gun, delivering a head shot, ending Lisa's life forever.

All of the Vigilantes were soon dead, their bodies littering the wet, soggy ground. Rick and Daryl were inspecting Tara's wounds, relieved that none of them seemed life threatening.

As soon as Maggie caught sight of Tara, she ran to her side, desperately needing to see for herself that Tara was alright. Maggie quickly captured Tara's lips in a frenzied kiss, almost not believing that she was there right in front of her.

The rain finally started to let up as everyone gathered around Tara, happy that they had made it in time. If they had been a few seconds late, the group would have been digging a grave instead.

After a few minutes, they moved out of the rain and into the safety of the church. Daryl helped Tara walk to the church, the stab wound slowing her down significantly. Abraham and Rosita made sure the van made it back to the church parking lot.

Maggie and Rosita were able to stitch up Tara's wound without too much fuss. Tara, of course, tried not to complain about a needle going into her tender skin. Daryl hovered over Tara making sure that she was alright, not wanting to leave her sight.

Exhausted from everything that had just transpired, everyone soon fell asleep. Tara laid sprawled out on a church pew with Maggie snuggled on top of her. Maggie made sure not to apply any pressure to Tara's newest wound.

Tara was soon dead to the world, letting out little snores as her exhausted body gave into darkness. Maggie didn't sleep much that night, needing to make sure that Tara was alright. She nestled her head on Tara's chest listening to the rhythm of her steady heartbeat.

Maggie was beyond grateful that Tara was safe. She never wanted to feel the pain she felt earlier when she thought that Tara would be gone forever. The uncertainty of whether or not Tara would still be alive by the end of the night. She almost believed that she would be a single parent and a widow again.

Just reliving those thoughts made Maggie snuggle deeper into Tara's body, to make sure that she was actually there and not in a dream. She treasured every second that Tara's arms were wrapped around her. As she slowly fell asleep, Maggie thought about their future and the doubts that seemed to plague it. She tried to push all those thoughts out of her mind as she finally gave into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Where the hell do I think of this stuff? I swear my mind isn't as sick as it seems at times. Yeah...a lot happened but in the end Team Family prevailed! And Lisa is gone! Go Maggie! Now we can start our trip to DC and the dangers ahead. Poor Tara...I put her through a lot.

This chapter's song was The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars.

Anyways thanks for all the reviews, messages, love, and encouragement. This week has been crazy with all the flooding and tornados going on in my area. Crazy Texas weather I tell ya!

But anyways thank you for everything. Love you guys!


	16. Free Bird

Tara woke up from her exhausted sleep feeling like she hadn't slept much at all. She began to stretch her arms and legs before the pain of the stab wound stopped her.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered to herself.

Maggie lifted her head up from Tara's chest, smiling when she saw that Tara was awake. She had let Tara sleep in a couple of extra hours, hoping the added rest would help.

"How are you feelin'?" Maggie asked, careful not to accidentally brush up against Tara's newest injury.

"Tired and a bit in pain, but I should be fine. How long have you been awake?" Tara tried not to show how much agony her body was really in. Her ribs hurt, her side hurt, it seemed like everything hurt but she had to keep pushing on and stay strong for Maggie and the baby.

"I've been up for about two hours. Just thinkin'," Maggie answered as she rested her head back on Tara's chest.

"Thinkin' about what?" Tara wondered as she tried to stretch again. This time she ignored the pain that radiated throughout her body.

"The baby. Wonderin' what she or he will look like. Who they will take after and act like," Maggie couldn't contain the smile that graced her face at the thoughts.

"Well, hopefully they aren't too rebellious like I was. Otherwise, we will have our hands full," Tara chuckled.

"I'm also thinkin' about how the baby won't know so many people who would have loved him or her so much, like my father or Beth. They would have adored the baby," Maggie said in a sad voice.

"I know. Lilly would have had a blast just knowing we were going to have a baby. My dad would have been ecstatic to have another grandchild and Meghan would have been so excited," Tara felt a little sorrow thinking about her family. She hadn't really processed their loss properly so she tried not to think about their deaths much.

"But just think, the baby will have so many people who will love and adore her or him. I swear, Daryl will have this kid shooting arrows by the time they learn to walk," Tara tried to be optimistic for Maggie.

Maggie sat up slightly, looking down at Tara. Maggie had a look on her face that Tara couldn't quite read but knew she was trying not to think about something.

"I almost lost you last night," Maggie suddenly said, surprising both of them. Tara had been trying not to remember the events that had occurred the night before.

"But you didn't. I'm right here with you and I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. I'm like a cat...I have nine lives apparently," Tara tried to make Maggie smile.

"It's not funny. You don't know how scared I was. When Rick told us the plan, I almost couldn't breathe at the thought of leaving you there with those psychos. Then I saw you out there, I just couldn't stop myself from trying to get to you. Fortunately, Carol and Rosita were there to keep me from messing everything up. I was just so scared of losing you. Scared that would be my last time seeing you alive," Maggie couldn't hold back her tears anymore as they slowly ran down her face.

The short ride to their hiding place had been torture for Maggie. She almost wanted to yell at Rick to hurry up, fearing that they would be too late. She was scared that when they got there they would find a body. Rosita had tried to keep her calm, but it did no good.

Finally, the group made it to their hiding place. Maggie could see that Tara was in visible pain with blood soaking the side of her shirt. She almost ran out into the open, but Daryl held her back, telling her to wait.

Then the baseball bat had been brought out. It almost felt like déjà vu as she witnessed the bat slowly getting ready to swing into Tara's skull. All Maggie could think about was how gruesome Glenn's death had been. She struggled against Daryl wanting to get to Tara, wanting to distract the enemy, wanting to do anything but watch the love of her life get beaten to death.

Finally, Sasha had fired the shot that had killed Lucifer and ultimately saved Tara's life. Daryl had let Maggie go as he ran to help Tara get to the hiding spot.

Maggie continued to cry as she remembered the agony that she had felt during those uncertain seconds. Those few seconds as the bat hung in the air, not knowing if it was going to hit its mark or not.

Tara gently wiped Maggie's tears away as she listened to the story. She ignored all the pain as she sat up slightly so she could look into Maggie's beautiful green eyes.

"Hey, you know I will do whatever I can to make sure I get back to you and Peanut. I was scared last night too. I really thought it was the end when Lisa brought out a baseball bat. All I could think about was you," Tara gripped Maggie tighter. She had almost messed up their plan when Maggie had emerged from the church. All Tara wanted to do in that moment was run to Maggie and kiss her one last time. Tara was just glad she had been able to keep her composure.

"God, I'm really starting to hate baseball bats," Maggie groaned into Tara's shirt.

Tara chuckled lightly, "Yeah, me too. If I never see another one again that would be great especially since everyone seems to want to kill me with one."

They were silent for a couple of minutes, lost in their thoughts, treasuring the feel of being together. Tara ran her hand down Maggie's back and side, knowing she needed to talk about the topic on her mind, even though it was hard to think about.

"Maggie, if anything ever does happen to me, I need you to promise me that you will move on and live a full life. Not only for yourself but for our child. Let's face it, danger always seems to find me and I might not get so lucky next time," Tara hated the thought of not being around but she needed Maggie to know that she had permission to move on. Tara suddenly realized that this was how Glenn had felt when he had made her promise to always protect Maggie.

"I don't think I will ever be with someone else. But I will try not to shut down like I usually do when I lose someone. I will have our baby to think about after all," Maggie didn't even want to ponder a future without Tara in it, but knew she needed to be somewhat realistic. They lived in a dangerous and unpredictable world and she had a child to think about now.

"That's my girl," Tara gave Maggie a soft kiss on the lips.

"Man, we haven't even been married a month and we've already been through so much. It's like a bad soap opera," Tara laughed at their strings of misfortunes.

Suddenly, they heard Daryl's voice from the doorway. "Are y'all decent so I can come in?"

Maggie opened her mouth to answer but before she could, Tara shouted, "No! I'm balls deep in her right now!"

Maggie couldn't believe Tara had said that as she heard some laughs erupt from the other room. She promptly hit Tara on the shoulder.

"Don't listen to her, Daryl! She isn't doing what she said she was doing. You can come in, we're decent," Maggie glared as Tara just laughed.

Daryl came in with a smile on his face. "Well, I'm glad your sense of humor is still intact," he chuckled as the young couple got up.

They were then joined by the others in the group. Carol handed Tara a bottle of water, which she took gratefully, gulping down half the bottle in one drink.

"Yes, you do know how to make everyone laugh no matter how immature you can be," Carol smiled as she watched the young newlyweds in front of her.

"You know you love my sense of humor," Tara teased Carol as the older woman just rolled her eyes.

"How are you feelin'?" Rick asked, partly knowing that Tara was probably in a lot of pain from last night.

"I'm hurtin' pretty good but it's not gonna slow me down. I'm still ready to get the hell out of here," Tara answered as Abraham handed her an energy bar.

"You sure? You don't need to rest a couple of days?" Michonne questioned with concern.

"Nah. I will be fine. Besides I'm just gonna be sittin' in the van. Unless we get attacked or something," Tara said as she opened the wrapper.

"Alright then. We'll be headin' out shortly then," Rick decided as he went to make sure the van was still ready to go.

"You want some?" Tara asked Maggie, offering her half of the energy bar.

Maggie shook her head, "No...all of a sudden I started feeling very nauseous."

"Sounds like you are experiencing some morning sickness," Carol said with sympathy. As soon as she said that, Maggie felt like she was going to be sick. She quickly got up to run outside to throw up.

Tara quickly tried to stand up to go help Maggie, almost forgetting about her stab wound. The pain made her remember instantly as she was forced to sit down again.

"We'll go make sure she's okay and eats some crackers," Carol said as she and Michonne headed into the direction that Maggie had ran.

"So how hurt are you really?" Daryl asked now that Maggie was out of the room. He knew Tara was putting up a brave front for her wife.

"Hurts like fuckin' hell," Tara admitted as she clutched her side.

"Well, I bet. You just had a long knife embedded in your side by that psycho crazy bitch. It's a miracle no organs were damaged," Rosita chimed in, glad that Tara's injury wasn't more life threatening.

Tara simply shrugged, knowing that Rosita was right. She got damn lucky this time. Lisa had been out to hurt her repeatedly and ultimately kill her.

"Let me check to make sure everything looks ok," Rosita said as Tara obediently lifted up her shirt.

Tara and Daryl watched as Rosita took off the bandage, making sure to be as gentle as possible. She then cleaned up the wound, satisfied that the stitches looked good. Finally, Rosita put on another bandage.

"There. Should be good as new soon, but you'll probably have another scar," Rosita told Tara who simply shrugged her shoulders.

"It seems like I'm getting scars all over the place. Oh well, chicks dig scars. Right Rosita?" Tara wiggled her eyebrows as Daryl laughed.

"They can be pretty hot," Rosita admitted as Maggie walked into the room with Carol in tow.

"What can be hot?" Maggie asked in a curious voice.

"Scars. Looks like I'm gettin' another one," Tara answered as Maggie sat down next to her.

"Yeah well, all I gotta say is no other girl better know where all your scars are except me," Maggie gave Tara a playful stern look.

"You know it, babe," Tara laughed as she put an arm around Maggie, "you feelin' better?"

"Yeah a bit. After I threw up, I still felt horrible but I ate some crackers and Carol gave me some gum so I'm doin' a bit better," Maggie said as Tara gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Rick and Abraham walked into the room, both of them ready to hit the open road and start the next adventure in their crazy post-apocalyptic lives.

"Alright kids, let's get this show on the road. Hopefully, we won't run into any cannibals this time that want to eat us," Abraham said as the others sighed at his lame joke.

Daryl carefully helped Tara get up from the pew. He was still acting overprotective over his best friend, which Tara didn't mind much. She knew he just needed reassurance that she would be okay. Tara knew it was hard for Daryl to turn away from her last night, and leave her behind to an unknown fate.

They all walked out to the van which was more of a small bus than a van in reality. A few of the others were already on, waiting impatiently for the rest to arrive.

Tara climbed onto the van, taking a seat near the back. Maggie promptly sat next to her, leaning into her as much as she could. Tara put her arm around Maggie as the engine came to life.

"Alright, now let's get the fuck out of here," Abraham muttered as he turned the van onto the dirt road and started to head up north.

Tara let her head rest against the seat, trying to ignore the pain her body was in. Maggie rested her head on Tara's shoulder being careful not to cause her any extra pain.

Daryl plopped into the seat besides theirs, muttering playfully to Abraham that he better not ruin another tire and force him and Tara on another tire run.

Abraham's response was to flip Daryl off which caused a few of them to laugh. Daryl flipped him back off in return.

"Alright, behave children," Carol said as she sat down with Daryl, giving him a playful smack.

The first couple of hours of the trip were uneventful as Carol and Maggie talked excitedly about the baby. Daryl and Tara listened in, adding side commentary every now and then.

"You're probably about 6-7 weeks along if I had to guess. Soon you'll start to show. You're already glowing," Carol beamed as Maggie blushed.

"Yeah and then soon I'll be as big as a house," Maggie groaned, knowing her body would be going through a lot of changes over the next few months.

"Hey, stop that. You're beautiful and you'll always be beautiful. Plus, you're pregnant with my baby, that just makes you even more gorgeous," Tara took Maggie's hand, giving it a small kiss.

Maggie blushed even more as Tara gave her one of those smiles she couldn't resist and a quick wink.

"Just think...you might have twins!" Carol said excitedly.

"Twins would be a definite handful," Tara stated as she thought about the prospect of having two babies.

"Hell, you might have triplets in there for all you know," Daryl smiled knowing that the thought was making Tara nervous.

"Yeah, let's not jinx this. I don't know if I can handle three kiddos at once. Although, I would get major bragging rights for getting my wife pregnant with triplets," Tara laughed as the others shook their heads in amusement.

After talking for a while longer, Carol moved so she could take a quick nap. Daryl leaned against his window until sleep overtook him also. He was still exhausted from last night and all the worry he had over Tara's safety.

Tara looked out the window as the serene scenery passed them by. She realized that Maggie was sound asleep, cuddled against her. She smiled, placing a quick kiss on Maggie's head.

Looking around, she saw that most of her friends were sound asleep. Abraham was driving, trying not to go too fast while Rick looked at the map in the passenger seat.

Rosita who was sitting in the seat in front of them, turned so she could look at Tara.

"Awww...y'all look so cute together. Plus, Maggie's glowing from the pregnancy. It's like it was all meant to be," Rosita gushed as she looked at the young couple.

"Maggie's my better half. I'm just so lucky that she loves me so much and she's gonna give me a child. I'm just the luckiest person ever," Tara said with a big smile on her face.

"I'm just glad y'all are happy. I know you've been in love with her since forever. I know when we hooked up, you were in deep with her," Rosita recalled as she remembered the conversations they had together all those months ago.

"I think I fell in love with Maggie the first time I laid eyes on her. I just tried to suppress it cuz of Glenn," Tara explained. She knew from the moment her eyes fell on Maggie that she was the "one". Plus, when they were traveling together, looking for Maggie, Glenn had told her many stories about his wife. Tara thought she sounded like the most amazing woman on earth.

Unfortunately, the woman she was desperately in love with belonged to someone else -her best friend. So Tara repressed her feelings and just did whatever she could to make sure Maggie was alright and taken care of.

"You weren't the only one who had some kind of feelings. She used to get jealous when you would spend too much time with me," Rosita chuckled as she remembered a few of those times.

"Yeah right...I highly doubt that," Tara said as she tried to think back a few months to the events in question.

"It's true. A woman can always tell when another woman is jealous," Rosita claimed, knowing that Maggie had definitely been jealous of the time Tara spent with her. Now Rosita and Maggie were best friends, but back then they were just getting to know each other.

Tara just shook her head. "I don't think she was. She had Glenn still after all."

"Well, either way, I'm glad you're truly happy now and your little family is growing. You should take a nap. You need the extra rest," Rosita said as she leaned over to give Tara a quick peck on the forehead.

"I will," Tara promised as she rested her head against the window. Rosita turned forward in her seat to take a nap herself.

Tara watched as the trees went by in an orderly fashion. She noticed that all of the trees' leaves were brightly orange and brown, signaling fall had arrived and winter was soon to follow. Tara sighed lazily as she thought about the events Rosita recalled. She didn't think Maggie had shown any interest in her back then...

* * *

_Tara and Glenn had just arrived back from their latest supply run, both in somewhat good moods. They had managed to scrounge up a few cans of food from an abandoned house a few miles away from the group's campsite._

_Maggie had greeted them when they arrived, giving both of them a hug. The death of her sister was still fresh on her mind, and she didn't really talk to anyone unless she had to. After greeting the two runners, Maggie went back to her spot, wanting to be left alone._

_Tara wished there was something she could do to comfort Maggie. She knew the pain of losing a sister. Tara had watched helplessly as countless walkers had devoured Lilly and there was nothing she could have done to save her._

_Tara's attention quickly turned from Maggie when Rosita came up to her, hugging her tightly. Over the last few days, Tara had become close to Rosita, especially after Tara realized her true feelings for Maggie after the whole Eugene debacle._

_Tara tried her hardest not to spend too much time with Maggie, not knowing if her heart could take the unrequited love. Although, Tara would feel guilty whenever Maggie gave her confused looks when she didn't spend much time with her._

_Rosita was just a safe option for Tara. She was attracted to the Hispanic woman, of course, but that was it. Tara knew if she spent more time with Rosita, she wouldn't fall in love. The more time she spent with Maggie, the more she fell in love. Tara was loyal to Glenn so anything she felt for Maggie had to be quelled immediately, no matter how strong the feeling was._

_So Tara was content to keep her fantasies about Maggie to herself. Every night, at least in her dreams, Maggie was hers. Tara didn't understand how Maggie could get to her so easily. Before she always got by on her own, not caring about being alone. Now Tara couldn't think about anything but Maggie no matter how hard she tried._

_Truth be told, Tara tried to stay away because she was scared to fall in love. But every time she looked at Maggie, all those doubts were chased away. So Tara just waited and hoped she would find someone who was available for her to love._

_As Rosita greeted her, Tara could tell something was wrong with her friend. She decided she would talk to her about it later. Tara turned to look at Maggie who was looking at her with sad eyes. Tara felt a tug on her heartstrings at the devastated look on Maggie's face. Before she could do anything about it, Rick came up to the small group, misery written all over his face._

_"Judith isn't gettin' any better. We need to go on a medical run. Otherwise...she might just get sicker and sicker..." Rick couldn't finish his sentence as tears started to leave his eyes. He couldn't afford to lose his daughter after everything they had already lost._

_"Hey, it's gonna be okay, Rick. We can leave now to go get some medicine. That one hospital where we got Carl's meds is probably the closest one around. It will take a while to get there but we can do it," Tara tried to reassure Rick that they could do this and that in the end, Judith would be alright._

_Rick nodded, "We need to leave now so we can get back as soon as possible. Only three of us need to go. I want everyone else to stay here and keep watch over things."_

_"Well, it's a plan then. Me, you, and Glenn can go," Tara decided as Abraham came marching up to the small group._

_"I'm going. I need to get out of here so one of y'all is staying behind," the redhead gruffly ordered, daring anyone to challenge him._

_Tara wasn't so sure about Abraham yet. They always seemed to butt heads about different things. There were times when Abraham seemed like a good guy but most of the time he was a jerk. Although, when Tara had revealed to the group her special condition, Abraham had surprised her by being completely accepting. He even offered her a drink of his treasured liquor. Tara thought out of all the people in her group, he would have the biggest problem with it but she had been wrong. No one gave her any grief about it though. The most she got was a couple of curious looks from Maggie and Rosita._

_"Tara, maybe you should stay behind. Take care of Maggie for me, please?" Glenn asked knowing Tara wouldn't say no._

_"Alright, I can do that," Tara agreed, not too thrilled about being stuck at camp but she would do anything for Maggie._

_Not too long after that conversation, the three men quickly took off to find medicine for little Judith. Tara walked around camp to make sure everything was alright. She even held Judith for a little while, trying to comfort the sick baby who had been crying._

_Maggie had been watching Tara every now and then as she went about the camp. The sight of Tara holding Judith had brought a small smile to her face even if it was only for a second. If she was being honest, her ovaries literally exploded at the scene in front of her as Tara gently rocked the crying infant in her arms. Maggie knew that one day Tara would make a great parent._

_Afterwards, Tara handed a sleeping Judith to Michonne and sat down next to Maggie, who was sitting against a tree, reading a book._

_"You don't have to babysit me. I know Glenn told you to watch me, but I'll be fine," Maggie stated without any real emotion._

_"Well, I promised Glenn I would take care of you so that's what I'm doing. If I don't, he will kick my ass when he gets back and I'm sure you don't want that," Tara tried to make Maggie smile but failed._

_Tara simply sighed as she watched the others perform mediocre tasks to keep themselves occupied. Tara tried to ignore the tingles that shot throughout her body whenever Maggie's shoulder would accidentally brush against her._

_Maggie wouldn't admit it but having Tara around brought a sense of calm that even Glenn couldn't achieve at times. It was something she needed desperately while trying to cope with her father and Beth's death._

_Maggie knew she had a soft spot for her husband's best friend. The closer Tara was, the safer she felt. She wasn't sure if everything she felt for Tara was completely innocent, but she knew nothing would or could ever happen between them. Maggie was often confused about what she felt for Tara. Tara was a close friend after all but Maggie wasn't looking forward to the day that Tara got a girlfriend. _

_"Hey Tara...I need your help with a perimeter check," Rosita broke the pair's silence as she stood in front of them._

_"Isn't there anyone else that can help you?" Maggie asked, not wanting Tara to leave her side. Plus, she didn't want to admit it but Tara spending alone time with Rosita made her jealous._

_"Everyone else is busy. Plus, I need to talk to Tara about something," Rosita gave Maggie a knowing look. Both women were still unsure about each other having just met not too long ago. They got along fine most of the time, but when it came to Tara's time, they both seemed to be at a standstill. Tara, of course, thought nothing of it, totally naive since both women were in happy relationships._

_Tara was confused as the two women stared at each other for a minute. She wasn't sure what was going on but she didn't want any trouble on her account._

_"I'll go with Rosita and do the perimeter check, then I'll come right back here when I'm finished. I promise," Tara gave Maggie her most charming smile._

_"Ok...don't take too long and be careful," Maggie finally relented as she watched Tara get up and make sure her weapons were secure._

_"Always am," Tara winked as she followed Rosita away from the campsite._

_Maggie watched as her friend walked away, already missing the warmth and silent comfort that she had provided. She hoped Tara wouldn't be gone for too long because even if she didn't want to admit it, Maggie desperately needed Tara's calming presence._

_Rosita and Tara walked around the woods, looking for any lone walkers or anything else that might try to harm their group. After about half an hour, they finally decided that everything looked good and started to head back to camp._

_"So how long have you been in love with Maggie?" Rosita asked out of the blue._

_Tara stopped walking, completely caught off guard by what the Hispanic woman had said. Tara tried to think of a good lie but decided that it wouldn't do any good._

_"Since the day I met her basically. I've been trying my hardest to ignore the feelings because of Glenn and Maggie's obviously straight but it's hard sometimes," Tara admitted as she felt Rosita pull her into a hug._

_"I'm sorry. I know it must suck a lot to have those feelings. If it makes you feel any better she might feel something for you. She gets jealous whenever you're with me," Rosita tried to help make Tara feel a little better._

_"Yeah right," Tara sighed sadly, "what did you want to talk about?"_

_"Abraham was just being a jerk. He's still pissed about the whole Eugene thing. So we had a fight because he wants to go out on his own with me but I want to stay here. In the end, he agreed with me. Abe was just being an asshole basically," Rosita explained as Tara listened._

_"I'm sorry. I know what a prick Abraham can be but he's a good guy at heart...or at least I think. I'm glad you aren't leaving though," Tara said as she put her arm around Rosita's shoulders._

_"Why? Cuz you won't be able to look down my shirt anymore?" Rosita teased as Tara blushed. Obviously, Tara hadn't been as discreet as she thought she was being when she tried to catch a sneak or two of Rosita's breasts._

_"Well...I mean..they're nice...I can't help if I wanna try to catch a glimpse or two," Tara stammered, clearly embarrassed about being caught._

_"It's ok...I admit I've tried to catch a glimpse or two of your package. I'm just curious about the size and stuff," Rosita admitted as Tara looked at her. She definitely wasn't expecting that._

_"Yeah, I haven't been laid in awhile. Which is not normal for me. Although, I'm sure you didn't need to know that," Tara tried to stop rambling since she was probably making Rosita uncomfortable._

_"Womanizer, huh?" Rosita asked as Tara just shrugged her shoulders._

_"Something like that I guess," Tara simply stated as they continued on their way to camp._

_"Maggie isn't the type of girl that you can hit it and quit it, ya know," Rosita said as Tara nodded in agreement._

_"I know. I know I won't ever be with her like that. That's fine. As long as she's my friend, then I'm happy," Tara tried to convince herself but was failing miserably._

_"Wow...you've got it bad," Rosita observed as Tara just shrugged. They stayed silent for a few minutes, the only noise was their boots crunching the twigs on the ground._

_"You know we could help each other out. I can help you forget about Maggie for a few minutes and you can help me forget about what a jerk Abraham is," the Hispanic woman threw her idea out, waiting for Tara's reaction._

_"Help? How?" Tara asked already knowing the answer. She would be lying if she said that she hadn't thought about an opportunity like this._

_"You know what I'm talking about," Rosita looked Tara up and down, with a seductive look on her face._

_"I don't know...Abe will kill me if he finds out," Tara suddenly had second thoughts about the idea._

_"You know how many times that puto has cheated on me? It's time for him to have a taste of his own medicine," Rosita said angrily._

_"I don't know..." Tara tried to resist, thinking about Maggie who was waiting at the campsite for her._

_"It only needs to happen one time. I just need to forget the fight and everything. Non-committed sex...isn't that the best kind?" Rosita asked as she moved closer to Tara._

_Tara knew that she wasn't going to say no. She could never resist a beautiful woman who wanted her. Tara leaned down, quickly capturing Rosita's lips in her own, forcing her against a tree._

_"Wait..do you have a condom?" Rosita asked before they went any further._

_Tara reached into her pocket, pulling out a square shaped wrapper. Rosita couldn't help but laugh._

_"Are you always this prepared?" Rosita chuckled._

_"Yeah, pretty much. Never know when you're gonna need one," Tara smiled as she opened the wrapper and started to unzip her jeans._

_Their encounter was over after a few minutes, both of them feeling the urgency that left them satisfied. Tara had to admit, it did make her forget about Maggie, even if it was only for a few minutes._

_Afterwards, they quickly got dressed and headed back to camp. Tara sat down next to Maggie who was still reading her book in the darkening daylight._

_Maggie took in Tara's disheveled appearance, and the way she seemed out of breath and sweaty. She wondered if anything had happened or if they had run into a lot of walkers on the perimeter check._

_"That took longer than expected. Did you run into walkers?" Maggie asked as Tara looked at her in surprise._

_"Oh yeah...a lot of walkers. Herds of them," Tara suddenly felt guilty for some reason. She felt like she was cheating on Maggie. Tara pushed the thought out of her mind. She was single after all, and could do what she pleased, but she still felt a pang of guilt._

_Maggie and Tara sat by each other, not saying anything. Every once in a while, Rosita would give Tara a small smile which she would return. After a couple of hours, Maggie's hand found Tara's as they held hands, their fingers interlocking together. Tara couldn't control the butterflies that filled her stomach just with Maggie's touch._

_Tara heard Maggie yawn next to her as day turned into night. Maggie leaned against Tara, placing her head on Tara's shoulder. Tara decided that it was time for Maggie to get some sleep._

_"Hey...you should go to bed. Come on," Tara helped Maggie up and led her to the designated sleeping area. Maggie laid down as Tara gave her a hoodie to cover up with._

_"Stay with me, please? I don't want to be alone," Maggie begged as she reached for Tara's hand._

_Tara laid down as Maggie put her full weight on her, wanting something soft to lay down on. Tara marveled at having Maggie fully on top of her, savoring every second. Maggie laid her head on Tara's chest, hearing a steady heartbeat._

_"How did you get over your family's deaths? I know you lost your father, sister, and your niece. How did you move on?" Maggie asked quietly._

_"You never really move on. You just think about them less and less but that void will never be filled. It will always be there. I try not to think about them and joke my way through feelings which probably isn't too healthy," Tara admitted as she wrapped one arm around Maggie's waist as the other one stayed under her head._

_Maggie stayed silent for awhile as they just laid together. Tara thought Maggie had fallen asleep until she heard a soft, sleepy voice._

_"I'm so glad you're here with me, Tara. You're one of the most important people in my life...I love you," Maggie sighed sleepily as she closed her eyes._

_Tara's heart jumped at those words even though she knew Maggie didn't mean it the same way Tara did. Still though, those words meant everything to her._

_"I love you too..." Tara whispered even though Maggie had already fallen asleep. She placed a soft kiss on Maggie's hair, gripping her tighter._

_Tara stayed up for a while longer thinking about her eventful day. Tara knew that Abraham would kill her if he found out what happened between her and Rosita. Thinking about it now, she knew it probably wasn't the best idea but she had been caught in a moment of weakness. She couldn't resist the urge to hold and love on someone to quell the ache she felt._

_Over the next three days, more moments of weakness occurred but Tara definitely didn't regret anything that happened. Although, she felt guilty every time she looked at Maggie. She felt guilty every time she left Maggie to sneak off with Rosita._

_Of course, when Abraham had found out, he and Tara had almost got into a fight which Glenn had to break up. The group had been so confused about what was going on between the two of them. Only a few knew the truth..._

* * *

Tara hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep until she felt someone gently shake her awake. She opened her eyes as they met Maggie's beautiful green ones.

"Hey you, we're gonna be camping here for the night. So let's get something to eat and just relax," Maggie gave Tara a beautiful smile as she waited for her to get up.

Tara looked in awe at how much Maggie seemed to be glowing. She looked so gorgeous, Tara couldn't contain the goofy grin that spread on her face.

"What?" Maggie smiled, feeling a little self conscious.

"You're just so gorgeous. So amazing. Have I told you how lucky I am to have you?" Tara gushed as she pulled Maggie close to her.

"You tell me all the time," Maggie laughed as she wrapped her arms around Tara's neck.

"Because it's the truth. You're the only one for me," Tara looked into Maggie's eyes, feeling all the love she had to offer.

Maggie guided Tara's lips to her own in a series of passionate kisses. Tara could feel herself start to get excited, knowing Maggie could feel it also. Before they could go any further, Maggie broke the trance they were in.

"Come on, everyone's waiting for us," she said as Tara groaned in frustration, which caused Maggie to giggle.

"Let's have a quickie. The others know the drill: if the van's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'," Tara tried to plead her case since she was so turned on, knowing she had a visible tent in her pants.

"We'll finish what we started later when everyone's asleep," Maggie promised as Tara grumbled in response. Maggie couldn't help the giggle that escaped as she led Tara off the van.

Rick and Daryl already had a small fire going, which everyone was seated around, eating various canned items. There was light conversation and some laughter as Abraham cracked a joke.

"I hope you all know that y'all just cock blocked me," Tara complained as she sat down next to Daryl, clutching her jacket to hide the evidence. Maggie took a seat next to her, laughing at Tara's current situation.

"Yeah, that jacket ain't hidin' much just so you know," Abraham teased as Tara just shook her head in frustration.

It definitely didn't help that Maggie had her hand on Tara's thigh, slowly inching upward before stopping where Tara wanted to feel her touch. Maggie was deliberately teasing her, getting her all worked up.

"Besides, you shouldn't do any extra strenuous activities for a few days," Rosita laughed, knowing that would be hard for Tara to follow.

"Fuck that. After I got shot, I was ready the next day. A little stab wound isn't going to stop me," Tara said as she felt all the blood rush to her crotch with every light touch Maggie would give her. From the sly look on Maggie's face, she knew exactly what she was doing to Tara.

Finally, Tara couldn't take it anymore as her need and want for Maggie consumed her body, making it impossible for her to think about anything else except making Maggie hers.

"I'm sorry guys but I have some urgent business I need to handle with Maggie. If you get what I mean," Tara quickly stood up, still clutching her jacket. She immediately reached down, helping Maggie stand up.

"She's gonna make her daily deposit," Abraham joked as Rosita swatted his arm.

"Be careful out there. If you aren't back in an hour, I'm gonna go lookin' for ya so please don't take longer than that," Daryl called out to the couple as they headed away from the campsite.

"Got it!" Tara yelled back to her best friend as she hurriedly guided Maggie to a safe spot.

After checking to make sure no walkers or lone people were around, Tara immediately turned her attention to the woman in front of her. Maggie gulped when she saw how dark and intense Tara's eyes were.

Tara didn't waste a second as her lips claimed Maggie's, roughly pushing her up against the tree behind them. Tara pressed her body tight against Maggie's, making sure the other woman knew exactly how much she desired her.

"You were being a fuckin' tease back there," Tara muttered as she bit down lightly on Maggie's neck, earning her a surprised yelp. Maggie could feel all the wetness that had pooled between her legs. All she wanted now was for Tara to be buried deep inside of her.

"You should know better than to tease me," Tara said as she slowly unbuttoned Maggie's jeans, taking her sweet time.

Maggie wanted Tara to move faster, the urgency she felt was like none other. "Please..." Maggie begged.

"Please what?" Tara asked as she finally lowered the jeans out of her way, reaching in to feel how wet and ready Maggie was for her. Tara could barely contain the moan that escaped her lips when she felt her fingers instantly get coated in excitement.

"Please just fuck me..." Maggie pleaded as she reached for Tara's belt buckle, the need for that big cock pulsing through her body.

Tara stopped Maggie's eager hands as she roughly grabbed them and held them above Maggie's head. Tara's other hand was teasingly rubbing on Maggie's clit, causing Maggie to moan out in pleasure.

"Not yet...you're gonna wait for it like a good girl," Tara whispered in Maggie's ear, making her groan in frustration.

Tara smirked at Maggie's reaction to her, knowing she was in total control of the other woman's body. Tara let two fingers start to dip down into Maggie's hot pussy. Maggie hitched her hips forward, trying to take those fingers deeper inside.

"Someone's being naughty..." Tara laughed as she placed some kisses on Maggie's neck and on her exposed collarbone. Maggie could only moan in response as she felt Tara start to pump her fingers in and out of her slick, wet pussy.

Maggie moved her hips in the rhythm of Tara's fingers. She tried to move her hands to hold onto the body in front of her, but Tara kept restraining her even after she tried to free herself from the firm grip.

Maggie let out a series of moans as she felt Tara's fingers bring her close to the edge of bliss. Just as she was about to cum with blissful euphoria, Tara stopped her movements. Maggie cried out in dismay as Tara pulled out her fingers, rubbing the sensitive clit instead.

"You can't cum yet, baby," Tara teased, knowing how much Maggie needed her release.

"Please Tara...I need you..." Maggie begged as Tara expertly rubbed her wanting clit. Maggie's body was burning for desire, for Tara.

"Tell me how much you want me," Tara demanded as she forced her tongue into Maggie's mouth, exploring and capturing the other woman's cries and moans.

"Please Tara...I want your big cock so deep in me. Please just fuck me..." Maggie pleaded trying to hitch her hips up to touch the hardness in Tara's jeans.

"You fuckin' love it when I'm buried in that tight pussy, don't you?" Tara growled as she bit down on Maggie's collarbone, eliciting a cry.

"Yes! Yes! I want your cock...please...don't tease," Maggie cried for mercy. She didn't think her body could handle anymore teasing.

Tara didn't think she could wait any longer. She let Maggie's hands go as she stepped back. Watching Maggie's reaction, Tara started to unbuckle her belt, taking her time.

Maggie tried to reach for the zipper on Tara's jeans, wanting the process to go faster, but Tara stopped her.

"Be patient..." Tara said as she slowly unbuttoned and unzipped the denim that was restraining her cock. Maggie watched as Tara pushed her jeans out of the way, her dick springing free in all of its glory.

Maggie lightly gripped the thickness, rubbing the precum that had already built up on the tip. Tara moaned as she felt Maggie's soft hands.

"Open your legs," Tara demanded as Maggie listened. Tara pushed her body against Maggie's, the tip of her cock teasingly sliding on Maggie's wet pussy.

Tara grabbed her cock, making sure to rub all of Maggie's juices on the tip. Slowly, she let the head enter Maggie's tight pussy. Maggie let her head hit the tree behind her, wanting more.

Maggie cried out in frustration as Tara pulled out, only to let just the tip slide into her hot desire again. She tried to move her hips forward to take more in but Tara was in total control of the situation.

"Fuck me, Tara...please...I need that big cock," Maggie begged, senses going into full overdrive.

Tara decided that she had teased Maggie enough as she roughly grabbed Maggie's hips, lifting her up and then down, swiftly onto her fully erect cock.

Maggie cried at the sudden intrusion as she felt Tara fill her up completely in one solid thrust. Maggie wasted no time wrapping her legs around Tara's waist, her hands going under Tara's shirt so she could feel the skin that was on fire.

Maggie leaned up slightly to take Tara's lips in her own as she felt thrust after rough thrust invade her body. Tara, not being gentle at all, pounded as hard and as fast as she could into that tight pussy.

"Oh...Tara...fuck..." Maggie cried out as Tara's cock impaled her slick wetness, the sensation filling her whole body. Maggie ran her nails down Tara's back, being sure to leave long scratches.

Tara knew she was close to the edge, feeling how snug Maggie's walls felt around her, she knew Maggie was close also. Tara could feel the pain from the stab wound on her side, but ignored it. Using it instead, to push her further into another pleasure territory altogether.

Hearing Maggie's moans of satisfaction was sending Tara teetering, she could feel that familiar sensation as her balls tightened. Reaching between their hot bodies, Tara rubbed Maggie's clit, putting pressure on the delicate nub.

Feeling Tara's touch on her over sensitive clit was all Maggie needed to reach that eternal bliss as her body trembled in ecstasy around Tara's pulsing cock. Maggie guided their lips together, hot messy kisses shared between them as her pussy coated Tara's already slick cock with more juices.

Tara felt Maggie's walls tremble around her, knowing there was no more holding back. With one last, hard thrust, Tara felt her cock explode deep inside of Maggie. Her body trembled as spurt after spurt of hot cum invaded Maggie's wanting pussy.

They both stayed in place, panting for air, trying to come down from their sexual highs. Maggie's limp body stayed wrapped around Tara's as she placed soft kisses on Tara's neck.

"Are you ok? I wasn't too rough?" Tara asked with concern.

Maggie lazily shook her head, "No...it was amazing."

They held onto each other, enjoying the special, intimate connection that they only felt together. Reluctantly, Tara pulled out of Maggie after a few minutes.

Maggie whimpered as she felt the fullness leave her body. She looked at Tara who gazed at her with nothing but love. Tara gently set Maggie down after giving her a passionate kiss.

"We better head back before Daryl comes lookin' for us. It's probably been an hour already," Tara said as she began to pull up her jeans, watching while Maggie did the same.

Tara smiled as she took in Maggie's messy appearance, with her hair out of place, and her clothes in a bit of disarray. Tara swore she had never seen anything more beautiful than the woman standing in front of her.

Maggie felt the weight of Tara's stare, as she looked into those brown eyes that she loved so much. Maggie never knew she could be as happy as she was in that moment in time.

"What?" Maggie asked quietly.

"Nothin'...come on baby. Let's head back," Tara took Maggie's hand into her own, placing a soft kiss on it before leading her back to the campsite.

* * *

After a few minutes, the newlyweds arrived back at their group's camp. Everyone was still sitting around the fire, engrossed in each other's conversation.

Abraham had a huge smile on his face as he caught sight of the young couple. "Well, that took longer than expected. Proud of you Tara, you lasted more than five minutes."

"Whatever, man. At least I don't need Viagra," Tara laughed as Abraham mocked a hurt reaction.

"Y'all be nice to each other," Carol ordered with a smile on her face.

Rosita pulled Tara down to sit next to her as Maggie took a seat on the other side of Tara.

"Let me check your stitches to make sure you didn't damage them while you were having fun," Rosita ordered as she lifted Tara's shirt to expose the bandage on her side.

"Rosita, you shouldn't do that when my wife's sitting right next to me. She'll know something's goin' on," Tara joked as both women just shook their heads at her joke.

"Well, it looks good still, you goofball," Rosita said as she changed the bandage.

"Good...let's see how many scars I can collect on my body since it seems like everyone wants to kill me. I'm 26 and already have way too many near death experiences. Or 27? I don't know if my birthday passed or not. Probably did," Tara pondered this for a moment.

Suddenly a thought entered Tara's mind. Although, she knew if she voiced that thought, she would probably get hit but it would be worth it to see Maggie and Rosita's reaction. Plus, everyone would know Tara was just playing around like she always did.

Tara put one arm around Rosita while her other arm wrapped around Maggie, pulling them close, a sly smile on her face. "Ya know since my birthday probably passed already, you guys could get me the most awesomest gift ever."

"And that would be?" Maggie asked, not understanding where Tara was going with this conversation.

"Don't encourage her, Maggie. No! We won't have a threesome with you," Rosita laughed, knowing Tara was just joking around.

"Damn...can't blame me for tryin'," Tara mocked a hurt tone with a smile on her face.

"You're lucky I love you," Maggie said, rolling her eyes at Tara.

"Have you ever had a threesome? Those things can be fuckin' exhausting," Abraham chimed in, waiting for Tara's answer.

Maggie also looked at Tara, waiting for her reply. Tara knew she had to answer but she didn't want to get hit.

"No comment," Tara decided that would be the best route to take with her wife sitting right next to her.

"Uh huh...that's what I thought," Maggie said as Abraham made a whipping sound towards Tara.

"You're so pussy whipped," the redhead made another whipping sound as everyone laughed.

"Hey man...I will say anything to make sure I keep getting laid," Tara chuckled as Abraham made another whipping noise.

The family stayed up for a couple more hours until Rick declared that they should get some rest since they had another long day tomorrow. Daryl and Tara offered to take the first night watch so everyone could get some much needed rest.

Tara followed Maggie until she picked a spot to sleep. Tara smiled as she watched Maggie curl up with her black hoodie.

"I'll be back as soon as my shift is over," Tara promised as she leaned down to give Maggie a quick kiss.

"Hurry back...I love you," Maggie ran her hand up and down Tara's arm, tracing over her tattoos.

"I will babe. I love you too," Tara gave her another kiss. Then moved down to Maggie's stomach, placing a soft kiss on it.

"Don't give your mother too much trouble, ya hear? You little peanut," Tara talked to the baby, placing another kiss on Maggie's stomach. Maggie just beamed at the scene in front of her. Seeing Tara taking such an active parental role meant the world to her.

Tara stood up, heading towards the log where Daryl was sitting. On her way, Michonne handed Tara a crying Judith. The baby seemed inconsolable as she wailed into the night, having been passed around from member to member, but not finding any comfort in anyone's arms.

"I figured you could use some practice," Michonne smiled as Tara gently held Judith in her arms, slowly rocking the baby to put her in a peaceful slumber. Judith clung close to Tara, her little hand gripping her plaid shirt.

Maggie watched the scene from where she lay, knowing that in a few months Tara would be holding their baby safely in her arms. She couldn't wait until that day finally arrived so that their little family could be complete.

Maggie was still nervous about the whole birthing process, but she had faith that they would find some type of settlement soon. Plus, Maggie knew Tara would do everything she could to make sure her and the baby were safe.

After a few minutes, Tara gently handed a sleeping Judith to Rick, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. Rick was grateful that Tara was able to get Judith to go to sleep.

"You're a natural. You're gonna do great on those late night wake up calls," Rick smiled as he held Judith close

"I'm looking forward to those," Tara said to Rick as she joined Daryl on the log.

Daryl gave her a small smile as he turned to look into woods, searching for any danger. He remained quiet as they sat there for a few minutes, both of them had their weapons ready just in case.

Tara took a look at him, "Hey are you alright?"

Daryl looked around, making sure no one was around them before he spoke, "I just have a feelin' that somethin' bad is gonna go down."

Tara didn't like the sound of that. Last time she heard words like that, Glenn had died. No way was she losing anyone else in their family. She felt some sadness thinking about Glenn. Tara missed him so much, everyday she felt his loss. She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall out over the thought of Glenn.

"We'll just have to be extra diligent and be prepared for anything. No way in hell is anyone getting hurt with us around," Tara said as Daryl nodded in response.

"Let's keep this between us for now. No need to get everyone worked up for somethin' that might never happen," Daryl commented looking over his shoulder at the other members of their family, most of them sound asleep.

"Agreed. We just gotta keep an extra eye out to make sure everyone's safe," Tara kept her gaze out on the dark woods in front of them.

Tara could feel herself go into protective mode as she took a glance at Maggie. She not only had Maggie's safety to keep in mind but also their unborn child's. Tara would do whatever it took to make sure the two most important people in her life were safe.

The rest of Tara and Daryl's night watch went off without a hitch as they talked about the baby and other various topics. Daryl was adamant that the kiddo would learn a vast amount of tracking and hunting skills from him.

"I swear this kid is gonna be catching squirrels by the time they are three," Tara laughed as Daryl joined in.

"Hey...doesn't hurt to learn early," Daryl chimed in, "what do you think it's gonna be? A girl or a boy?"

"I don't know honestly. Maggie said she thinks it's gonna be a girl...like she can feel it so we will see," Tara said excitedly.

"Oh man, can you imagine how protective we will be if it's a girl? Anybody that wants to date her better watch out," Daryl chuckled at the thought of some poor sucker trying to date Tara's daughter.

"Oh, she won't be allowed to date until she's like 30," Tara said in a serious tone.

After a few hours, Rick and Sasha came to relieve the duo from their post. Tara said her good nights as she walked over to where Maggie was. Tara felt her heart swell at the sight before her. Maggie looked so peaceful sleeping so soundly, like a beautiful angel.

Tara didn't know how she had managed to live her life so long without Maggie in it. Now Tara couldn't imagine her life without her one true love always by her side. Maggie had shown her love like she had never experienced before and had managed to reach into the depths of her soul.

Tara smiled to herself, pinching herself to make sure this wasn't all a dream. That the perfect woman in front of her was actually all hers to cherish and love. Tara laid down, pulling Maggie as close as she possibly could, needing the physical contact. Maggie curled into her as if on instinct, not once waking up.

Tara placed a soft kiss on Maggie's hair, smelling the sweet scent of vanilla. The woman in her arms snuggled deeper into her, causing Tara to smile. Maggie was her everything now. When Tara had been at her lowest point, it was Maggie who changed her life for the better. Tara felt like forever would never be enough time for her to love Maggie, so she cherished every second Maggie was by her side.

"I love you so much..." Tara whispered to Maggie, who smiled slightly as her hand gripped Tara's shirt.

Tara watched Maggie sleep for a couple of hours before she was finally able to fall into a peaceful slumber. Dreams of Maggie and their future children filled her head as the world remained quiet around them for once.

* * *

I was feeling a bit sappy if you couldn't tell. :D

I think my ovaries exploded writing that Tara holding Judith scene lol. I haven't decided if they're gonna have a boy or girl yet...hmmm...

It's never a good thing when Daryl has a bad feeling. Let's just say some poetic justice will be happening in the next couple of chapters. :)

Flashback Friday! Or Saturday depending on where you are. I'm not sure about you guys, but I like flashback scenes cuz it gives us more depth on something was merely mentioned earlier in stories. And I like to see how their friendships grew. Like Rosita and Maggie's friendship then vs. now. How do y'all feel about flashbacks? Okay I will stop rambling..

Jesse: don't let stereotypes fool you, there are a lot of open minded people in Texas. Of course, I have to be open minded since I'm bi(les(?)), otherwise I would be against myself lol.

This chapter's song is "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd cuz I always listen to that when I take road trips and the gang just started theirs. :)

Also thank you for all the reviews! I love all you guys. Y'all are the best for being all concerned about the flooding/tornados but I'm great and the weather is back to sunny and hot. But you guys are the best. I love y'all.


	17. Toxicity

The next two days were spent traveling slowly along the lonely, desolate roads. The family would be going along at a good rate until they got stopped by cars blocking the road. Then Daryl, Abraham, Tara, Rick, and Carol would move the standstill cars out of the way. One of those cars would not start no matter how many times Tara tried to hot-wire it. The car was in the middle of the road and their vehicle couldn't pass through safely around it, so it had to move.

So Daryl, Tara, Rick, and Abraham had the fun task of moving the car out of the way. After a few curse words shared among themselves, they were finally able to push the SUV out of the way and continue on. Before going on though, they would be sure to siphon all the gasoline from the abandoned cars that littered the road. So far, they had been lucky with getting gas for their vehicle and not running out.

Maggie's morning sickness also forced them to stop every couple of hours or so. Tara felt awful about how sick Maggie was, wishing that there was more she could do to help. So Tara did whatever she could do to help Maggie be comfortable, such as rubbing her back and telling her soothing words during each episode.

"You're so sweet to her. So far, you've been doing pretty good with the pregnancy support thing," Rosita commented to Tara as she and Maggie sat down in their seat. Maggie had just had another episode with Tara by her side, trying to make things easier for her wife. Maggie looked exhausted as she chewed on some gum that Carol had given her.

"Well, Maggie's the one who is doing all the work. I had the easy part which was also the fun part. So I'm just trying to make her as comfy as I possibly can. My girl deserves only the best," Tara said as she put her arm around Maggie.

"Hopefully, this mornin' sickness doesn't last too much longer. It's getting pretty exhaustin' being sick every couple of hours," Maggie complained as she laid her head on Tara's shoulder.

"Well, it's definitely Tara's kid if they're already giving you all this trouble this early," Rosita smirked as Maggie let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I get the feelin' that we're all gonna be chasin' after a rebellious, rambunctious little kiddo soon," Maggie agreed as she placed her hand on her stomach. She really couldn't wait until the baby started kicking.

"Hey now! What happen to me being all sweet and stuff?" Tara asked in an amused tone.

"You got me pregnant is what happened," Maggie said as she and Rosita started to laugh. Tara just chuckled as she gripped Maggie tighter, placing a soft kiss in her hair.

"You two keep talkin' about how awesome I am. I'm gonna sit with Daryl for a few minutes," Tara got up as Rosita took her spot next to Maggie. The two women resumed talking about the baby.

Tara plopped down into the seat Daryl occupied. "Too much estrogen for ya over there?" Daryl asked with an entertained smile on his face.

"You know it. So how's that bad feelin' going?" Tara asked her friend. They hadn't spoken much of Daryl's ominous feeling that he had mentioned the other night. Both of them had been extra diligent though, keeping an extra watch on their surroundings. They were both ready for a fight at a moment's notice.

Maggie had commented to Tara that she seemed a bit more tense. Tara was able to get Maggie to believe that she was just tired from all the traveling. She didn't want to worry Maggie over something that might not happen, especially since her wife was in a delicate condition. Maggie and the baby didn't need any extra stress.

"It's still there. Has been since I told ya the other day," Daryl answered as he looked out the window.

"Well, like I said, we won't let anything happen to anybody," Tara adamantly said as Daryl nodded in agreement.

The bus pulled over to the side of the road, as Rick stood up to stretch his legs and arms. He looked at the occupants in the vehicle.

"We'll be stopping here for the night. There's supposed to be a creek nearby so we can clean up and just relax. Tomorrow is another long day," Rick announced as Abraham cut the engine and opened the door.

Everyone climbed off the bus, stretching their limbs and getting a good look at the woods around them. They were grateful that a creek was nearby so they could wash up and feel clean again.

"Tara and I will go gather up some firewood since it's supposed to be pretty cold tonight and do a perimeter check," Daryl told Rick as Tara made sure she had all of her weapons ready.

"Sounds good. Don't be out too long," Rick agreed as he held Judith in his arms, rocking her gently.

"Maggie and I will go to the creek to wash up first," Rosita told the others as Tara got a big smile on her face.

"What?" Rosita looked at Tara suspiciously, wondering why she was smiling like an idiot.

"I'm just gonna imagine you two at the creek gettin' all washed up," Tara laughed as Rosita punched her in the shoulder.

"Only in your dreams," Maggie added as she rolled her eyes at Tara, a smile on her face. Tara was lucky Maggie knew she was only playing around.

"Come on, Romeo. Let's get this firewood so I can wash up," Daryl said as he grabbed Tara by the shirt, leading her into the woods.

The two spent the next hour and a half walking around the woods not only collecting firewood but making sure there weren't any walkers or any other dangers around. Satisfied that their family should be safe for the night, they headed back to the camp. By then, everyone had already washed up.

Daryl dumped the firewood on the ground as Rick handed him a bar of soap, telling him to wash up for dinner. Tara helped Rick make the fire as she waited for Daryl to finish up so she could take her turn.

After she was done with the fire, Tara sat down next to Maggie who smelled like vanilla. Tara smiled as she realized that Maggie was wearing one of her plaid shirts. Maggie always managed to look so hot in her clothes.

Maggie noticed that Tara was staring at her with a smile. "What?"

"You look fuckin' hot in my clothes," Tara said as she checked Maggie out with a grin on her face.

"This shirt is really comfortable. Plus, it kinda smells like you," Maggie smiled she pulled the plaid closer to her cold body.

Tara just grinned. "I love you so much. How is Peanut doin'?"

"I love you too. Peanut is not causin' me any trouble right now so that is good," Maggie couldn't contain the smile as Tara bent down to kiss her stomach.

"Hey little Peanut, be good tonight. Your mother already has to put up with me and my shenanigans," Tara laughed as she tried to discipline their baby.

Daryl came back from the creek, handing her the bar of soap. "It's all yours."

Tara gave Maggie a quick kiss as she grabbed her bag and headed to the creek to get washed up. She quickly cleaned up, being careful not to put any unnecessary pressure to her stab wound. The damn thing still bothered her and caused a dull, continuing pain. The other day, when Tara had to help move the SUV out of the road, the injury had a stabbing pain all the day, though she didn't complain.

Tara swiftly got dressed and headed back to camp feeling clean and not so worn out anymore. She resumed her spot next to Maggie, who was laughing with Carol and Rosita about something.

"What are y'all laughing about?" Tara asked as she protectively put an arm around Maggie.

"I was just tellin' Carol and Rosita about how I think we're gonna have a girl. They said that when she is old enough to date that you're gonna be threatenin' all the boys with your guns and I can just picture it," Maggie giggled as she pictured Tara pulling her gun out on some poor boy just trying to get a date.

"Damn right! I remember how I was when I was a teenager. And if anyone hurts my little girl then they will have hell to pay," Tara promised in a serious tone.

"Hell, the bastard will have both of us to deal with," Daryl said as he joined in their conversation.

"This poor girl isn't gonna have a date until she's like 40," Carol laughed as Maggie simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Good!" Tara and Daryl said at the same time as the others laughed at their protectiveness over Peanut.

The rest of the night was spent with light conversation and laughter as the group talked about whatever came to mind. Daryl and Tara kept an extra watch over the woods that surrounded them, still on alert for anything that seemed out of place.

Tara felt Maggie yawn against her, knowing she was probably worn out from all the traveling and being so sick.

She led Maggie to a sleeping spot that wasn't too close to anyone else but also not too far. Tara laid a blanket down which Maggie promptly laid on. Tara then lovingly covered her wife with another blanket.

"I'll be back after my night watch," Tara promised as Maggie just nodded sleepily.

"Love you..." Maggie whispered, already half asleep.

"I love you, too," Tara said softly as she gave Maggie a light kiss on the lips. She then placed another kiss on Maggie's stomach.

"Goodnight, Peanut. I love you, also," Tara smiled before heading over to where Daryl sat against a tree.

He immediately offered Tara a cigarette which she gratefully accepted. Tara lit up the smoke with her lighter, feeling the first drag relax her body some.

"Damn, it's fuckin' cold tonight. My balls are freezin'," Daryl complained as he zipped up his jacket.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Tara laughed as she also zipped up her black jacket.

Tara glanced at Maggie, who was bundled under the blanket, sleeping peacefully. Tara felt an overwhelming amount of love for the woman who held her heart.

"Hey, look what I swiped from Abe's bag earlier. The son of a bitch has been holdin' out on us," Daryl laughed as he showed her a mason jar.

"Moonshine! Hell yes!" Tara exclaimed excitedly as she opened the jar, taking a long drink. The alcohol burned her throat as it went down.

Daryl took a swig, grimacing as the heat traveled down his throat. "That's some good shit right there."

The duo were quiet for a little while, just lost in their thoughts as they shared the moonshine. Tara looked up at the night sky that was littered with stars, shining brightly. She thought about Glenn, sad about everything he had missed out on. Tara knew the bond that her and Glenn had shared had been like no other.

"What ya thinkin' about?" Daryl asked as he noticed that she seemed lost in her own little world.

"Glenn. I miss him so much sometimes. I feel guilty at times because of everything he missed out on. He was always talkin' about startin' a family, and I would always say it was never a priority to me. Well, now I'm the one who's startin' the family and he wasn't able to," Tara tried to explain to Daryl what she was feeling.

"Well, like Maggie's old man used to say: everything happens for a reason. You and Maggie were meant to start a family together. All the loved ones we have lost, their deaths weren't in vain. Or some shit like that. Sometimes I think it's crazy. Beth should still be alive. You would have liked Maggie's little sister. She was a little spitfire," Daryl had a small smile on his face before he continued, thinking about Beth.

"But I'm sure wherever Glenn is, he is happy that you are takin' care of Maggie and givin' her everythin' she ever dreamed of," Daryl said as he patted Tara on the shoulder.

Tara gave him a small smile in appreciation as they sat in silence for a few minutes before talking about lighter topics and throwing playful insults at one another. Tara took another drink of the moonshine, knowing she was starting to get a little tipsy.

Rick and Abraham came to take over the night watch a few hours later, surprised to find both of their friends a bit tipsy. Abraham made Daryl and Tara promise that they would get him more moonshine since his mason jar was almost empty.

Tara stumbled to where Maggie was, laying down promptly. The movement caused Maggie to wake up from a good dream that she had been having about Tara. Maggie could feel how turned on she was as she rubbed herself against Tara's warm body.

"Are you drunk?" she asked Tara, smelling liquor on her breath.

"Nah, just a bit tipsy," Tara answered feeling herself grow excited by Maggie's rubbing.

"Good. Now don't make too much noise," Maggie ordered as she looked around the camp. Everyone was fast asleep around the fire, trying to get some extra warmth. Maggie was sure she found a better way to get warm.

She looked over at Rick and Abraham who weren't paying any attention to them as they looked over a map in the full moonlight.

"What do you mean don't make noise?" Tara questioned as Maggie got on top of her, disappearing under the blanket. Before Tara knew what was happening, Maggie had unzipped her jeans. Tara sat up slightly until she felt Maggie's warm, wet mouth take in her rigid cock.

"Fuck," Tara muttered as she felt Maggie bop up and down her cock, taking in as much as she could. Tara's fingers soon became entangled in Maggie's hair as she guided more of herself into her wife's hot, wet mouth.

Maggie twirled her tongue around the head of Tara's cock, slurping up the pre-cum that steadily dripped out. Tara slowly thrusted her hips as her saliva covered cock went in and out of Maggie's wet mouth. Maggie hummed quietly as the vibrations sent Tara over the edge, her throbbing cock exploding into Maggie's mouth.

Maggie sucked up every drop as she felt cum shot after cum shot hit the back of her throat. She made sure she got every last drop out of Tara's dick. Maggie licked her lips, climbing back up Tara's body, leaning down to give her frenzied kisses as she felt Tara start to grow hard again.

"I want you..." Maggie whispered hotly into Tara's ear. Tara needed no further instructions as she quietly flipped them over.

Tara quickly pulled down Maggie's jeans, letting her fingers feel how soaking wet Maggie's pussy was for her. Tara gave Maggie a quick, messy kiss before she disappeared beneath the blanket, spreading Maggie's legs open. Maggie held her breath in anticipation until she felt Tara's tongue against her dripping slit, licking her pussy and taking her time to hit all the spots that drove Maggie crazy.

Maggie moaned quietly as she felt Tara's tongue slip in and out of her. Maggie was so turned on, her juices dripping onto Tara's face as she gladly licked up every drop. Tara sucked Maggie's excited clit into her mouth, eliciting a soft cry from Maggie.

Maggie tried her hardest to stay quiet, but it was hard when Tara's talented tongue explored and drove her wild. Tara knew Maggie was close as she applied more pressure to her engorged clit, flicking it with the tip of her tongue. Tara felt Maggie tremble around her as Maggie came into her mouth, greedily licking up the juices that coated her tongue.

Maggie panted for breath as she came down from her high, her pussy begging to be filled to the brim by Tara. Maggie eagerly pulled Tara up, forcing her tongue into her mouth, moaning as she tasted herself, holding Tara close as her body recovered from her intense orgasm.

Tara unbuttoned the plaid shirt that Maggie was wearing, wanting to feel the warm skin underneath. Tara watched as Maggie came down from her sex induced high, rubbing her hard cock against the soft skin beneath her. She could feel her pre-cum drip onto Maggie's stomach and legs.

"Oh fuck...I want you so deep in me," Maggie moaned as she reached between them to guide Tara's cock to her hot slit. Tara rubbed the head against Maggie's wetness, coating it. Maggie bit her lip as she felt the tip enter her slowly, before being teasingly pulled out.

Without any warning, Tara swiftly penetrated Maggie in one quick thrust. Maggie bit onto Tara's shoulder to keep from screaming out Tara's name in ecstasy as she felt the throbbing cock stretch her open.

Tara let Maggie accommodate to her size for a minute, before she quietly started to thrust in and out of Maggie's tight, wet pussy. Maggie reached under Tara's shirt, digging her fingernails into her back causing Tara to hiss in pain.

"You want to get fucked senseless don't you?" Tara whispered into Maggie's ear.

"Yes!" Maggie breathed as she began to move her hips in rhythm with Tara's. She felt Tara's rock hard cock invade her body again and again as their thrusts became more desperate as they both started to feel those familiar sensations. Maggie moaned and whimpered quietly into Tara's ear, her hot breath making it hard for Tara to keep quiet.

Maggie felt her body explode into a state of euphoria as her walls trembled feverishly around Tara. Maggie bit Tara's shoulder again to keep from yelling out in pleasure as all coherent thoughts left her body, only waves of pleasure crashing throughout could be felt.

Tara could barely keep on after witnessing the reaction Maggie had. She kept pumping as hot walls convulsed around her, gripping her tight. Tara felt Maggie's nails dig deep into her back and shoulder blades as long scratches were left on her skin.

After a few torturous minutes, Tara finally allowed herself to cum after bringing Maggie over the edge again. Maggie was besides herself as she felt another orgasm push through her body. She pulled Tara down, guiding their lips together as she came, melting into the desperate kisses they shared. Maggie moaned into Tara's mouth as her body quivered all over.

Tara felt her body jerk in response to Maggie's continuous orgasms. With one final thrust, Tara let herself go as cum exploded from her cock, filling up Maggie to the brim. Tara leaned down, biting the flesh on Maggie's collarbone to keep from making too much noise as the intensity ripped throughout her. Tara felt all the energy escape her body as she collapsed on top of Maggie, trying to catch her breath.

Maggie held Tara close, savoring the warmth that their hot bodies pressed together provided. Tara placed a few soft kisses on Maggie's neck after she recovered from her orgasm.

"I love you so much," Tara said lazily as she pulled out of Maggie.

"Mmm...I love you too," Maggie smiled as she basked in the aftermath of her multiple orgasms. She looked around, grateful that no one seemed to notice what had just happened between the two newlyweds.

Tara pulled up her jeans before helping Maggie get dressed. After she buttoned up the plaid shirt her wife was wearing, Tara positioned herself so Maggie could snuggle into her.

It didn't take long for the lovers to fall asleep under the watchful eyes of the stars filling the night sky above them.

* * *

Tara was woken up some time later by someone shaking her shoulder roughly. She opened her eyes to see Daryl kneeled down besides her. Maggie was still fast asleep on her, worn out from their nightly activities.

"What's up, man?" Tara blinked her eyes a few times, trying to wake up. She took in Daryl's serious face and sat up slightly being careful not to disturb Maggie.

"We have a visitor," Daryl simply said. Any tiredness that Tara felt left her body quickly as the protective side of her kicked in. She wondered who this mystery visitor was and what they wanted.

"Who?" Tara asked as she got up ready to intimidate the hell out of whoever was waiting to meet her.

"Some guy. Says his name is Dennis. Says he has news for us," Daryl informed her as Tara secured all her weapons.

Maggie had woken up by then catching the short conversation that the best friends were having. She could feel the difference in Tara's personality as her protective mode came out in full force.

Tara noticed that Maggie was awake, her features softening significantly as she helped Maggie stand up. "Hey, did you sleep okay? Any morning sickness?"

Maggie couldn't help but smile at Tara's concern for her wellbeing. "I'm alright for now. But I know you're dyin' to meet the mystery visitor so let's go."

Tara held Maggie's hand as they followed Daryl to the campfire that was still burning in the morning coldness. Rick stepped aside as a man came into their view. He was tied up with his hands secured behind his back, with Abraham pointing his rifle at him. Dennis had short black hair, a pleasant looking face, and a short, trimmed beard. He was wearing a brown jacket with a pair of Wrangler jeans. Nothing seemed too threatening about the man in front of them. They all knew that looks could be deceiving though.

"Ahhh, you must be Tara and Maggie. It's very nice to meet you," Dennis said in a pleasant voice.

Tara marched up the man, Rick holding her back. "How do you know our names?"

"I've been kinda followin' your group around the last couple of days since I noticed y'all in the area. Y'all haven't been travelin' too fast with all the stops and obstacles y'all have faced. So I just kept my distance and learned your names, your skills and reported back to my community," Dennis could see that he had peaked Tara's interest.

"Community?" Tara asked as she wondered if this was too good to be true. Instinct told her immediately that it was.

"Yes, community. Oakwood is what we call it. Our leader, Collin, is a very generous man. He took an interest in your group and wants to meet y'all to see if you guys will be a good fit in our society," Dennis explained as Rick, Daryl, and Tara exchanged looks, not sure if they totally believed the man in front of them.

"I don't know. We're lookin' for somethin' but we're headin' to Washington DC. We have been through a lot. Your generosity is appreciated but we ain't sure if this is the place for us," Rick told Dennis what everyone was thinking.

"Just come and check out our community for a few minutes. You will see that we are kind people and only have your best interest at heart. We have our own little military but people with your skills are always useful to have around. Collin thinks some of y'all can even have some leadership roles in our society," Dennis tried to get them to change their minds on the matter, knowing that Collin would be very upset if he let this group go. His leader seemed too interested in the group in front of him.

"Look man, thanks but no thanks. We have a plan we're followin' and we're stickin' to it. You should just be on your way and leave us alone," Tara said as she turned away from the tied up man.

"What she said," Daryl defiantly told Dennis as he glared at the man.

"Wait! I know Maggie is expectin' and congratulations to the two of you, Tara. We have a doctor on sight and they have an ultrasound machine. Our electricity is limited but if y'all come with me, our doc can check out the baby and make sure it's ok. You can meet Collin and if you still feel like it's not the place for you, then you can leave," Dennis knew if he brought in the baby then it would be hard for the group to say no to his offer.

At the mention of their baby, Tara stopped walking, turning to look at Maggie who seemed torn about the proposition that Dennis had proposed. Of course, Tara wanted to make sure that little Peanut was alright but was it worth risking everyone else's safety?

"I'll do whatever you guys want to do," Tara told Rick and Daryl, not wanting to make this decision.

Rick thought it over in his head. He could see the conflict on everyone's faces as they thought about the idea. The health of the baby was important to him as it was to everyone in the group. Maggie had been through a lot these last few weeks and if the baby wasn't healthy then it was still early enough in the pregnancy for the expectant parents to make a tough decision.

Rick looked at Daryl and knew he was thinking the same thing even though they didn't want to say it out loud. Their friends had already been through enough, so they could only hope for the best.

"We'll go but only if everyone agrees. And we won't surrender our weapons. If we don't want to stay, you better let us go," Rick glared at Dennis who had a pleasant smile on his face.

"Agreed. You can keep the weapons and you can walk out whenever you want," Dennis agreed to the terms that Rick had laid out.

Rick turned to his family, "Anyone who doesn't agree on going to Oakwood, raise your hand."

Not one hand was raised as the group all realized they needed to do this for Tara and Maggie. They were a family after all, and everyone knew they had to stick together. Tara just hoped this wouldn't jeopardize their safety in any way.

"Looks like we're goin' to Oakwood," Rick announced as Dennis had a wide grin on his face.

"It's just an hour or so from here. Hopefully, you guys can offer me a ride since I know where it's at," Dennis joked as no one laughed.

"Yeah, shut the fuck up. We just need directions. This ain't no comedy act," Daryl muttered as Dennis just nodded, keeping his mouth shut.

Everyone quickly packed up their belongings, throwing everything onto the bus. Tara and Daryl put out the fire, not saying much amongst themselves, both of them on high alert. Soon, everyone was on the bus as Abraham started the engine. Rick had untied Dennis by this point, but Carol still kept her weapon trained on him, just in case. The bus ride was mostly silent as everyone kept to themselves.

Tara watched as they crossed the border into South Carolina. She knew Maggie was a bundle of nerves right now, anxious about what the ultrasound would show. Tara took Maggie's hand into her own, placing a soft kiss on it.

"Hey, it's gonna be alright. We'll see that ultrasound and it will show a healthy baby, you'll see. But while we're there, stick close to me. I don't want you out of my sight, alright?" Tara gently ordered as Maggie nodded her head in agreement.

"I promise to stay close to you. I know you are just worried about my safety," Maggie gave Tara a small smile.

"That's my girl," Tara grinned as she leaned over to give Maggie a quick kiss. Maggie leaned her head on Tara's shoulder, her body filled with nervousness about this new community.

Tara held Maggie close as she looked out the window. She was filled with trepidation, vowing to kill anyone who threatened Maggie at this new place. Tara was still filled with uncertainty on if her family had picked the right choice but it was too late to turn back.

* * *

After about an hour and a half of being on the bus, the vehicle came to a stop in front of some wood gates. Two men guarded the gate, each holding a semi-automatic gun, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Dennis hopped off the vehicle, talking to the men real quick.

After a quick discussion, the men stepped aside as the gates opened. Dennis came back on the bus, directing Abraham on where to drive and park. As the vehicle drove down the empty roads, the group looked around their surroundings. The buildings were in good condition, serving as housing for the residents. Walking down the makeshift streets were men and women, holding weapons.

Rick had an uneasy feeling as he noticed there weren't any children around. So far they only saw people who looked like they were foot soldiers. No one was just walking down the street or out and about. It seemed a little eerie, almost like a ghost town. Rick wondered what kind of leader this Collin fella was because so far it seemed like a dictatorship.

The bus came to a stop in front of a red brick building. Dennis ushered them off their vehicle and led them into the building. Inside, there were bottles of water and some food on a table. There were a couple of couches on the side of the wall and a small bathroom behind one of the doors.

"Y'all just make yourselves comfortable. I'm not gonna lock the door or anything but please don't leave this area. You are strangers here and some of the soldiers are trigger happy. But I'm gonna let Collin know that y'all arrived and I'm gonna inform Dr. Bennett of the circumstances. You will like Dr. Bennett," Dennis told the group as he headed towards the door.

"Don't keep us waiting long," Rick threatened as Dennis nodded his head before heading out the door.

"What kind of fucked up place is this? I've seen funerals livelier than this place," Abraham observed as he looked out the window.

"I don't know but keep your weapons close, just in case this heads south," Rick ordered everyone, not liking how mundane this community seemed.

Just then the door flew open as two burly men with AK-47s stepped into the building. They glanced briefly at the strangers being kept in the building.

"Alright, we're here to escort the expectant mom and dad to Dr. Bennett for the ultrasound," one of the men said in a deep voice that demanded respect.

"That's us," Tara said as she grabbed Maggie's hand, pulling her close, not sure what these men's true intentions were.

The two men looked confused for a second before one just shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a couple of lesbians, Pete. Alright, excuse me...expectant parents. Now follow me."

"I'm goin' too. You ain't gonna stop me unless you're ready to put me six feet under," Daryl joined Maggie and Tara by the door. No way in hell were these strangers going to take his best friend and her wife off to who knew where.

Just then Carol and Rosita joined the group by the door, knowing they would need more back up in case this was some kind of set up. Rick nodded his approval as the rest of the group watched the mini standoff in front of them

"We're going too and don't even try to stop us," Carol glared at the man who towered over her by several inches. She visibly made him uncomfortable as he averted his eyes from her intense stare.

"Alright, that's fine. Just don't make any trouble for us. We're just followin' orders after all," Pete said as he opened the door and led the small group down the sidewalk.

They walked a few blocks, passing a few buildings. Tara noticed that a curtain would move in a window to get a peek of the new arrivals. She suddenly felt like they were in a Stephen King novel where the townspeople waited for the horrible fate of the newcomers. Tara tried to push the feeling away as she made sure Maggie was close to her body.

Daryl looked around their surroundings, his crossbow ready to be fired at a moments notice. He hated how quiet this community seemed. No laugher, no children, no pets, no nothing. The quietness made him feel uneasy, like they were the hunted now. He could see that Tara was thinking the same thing as she kept her hand on the butt of her gun.

They finally arrived at small brick building that seemed to be nothing extraordinary. Pete opened the door as his friend led the small group inside. They walked down a few wide hallways until they came to a clinic like room. There were a few medical machines and a bed in the middle of the room.

"Here ya are. The doc will be with y'all shortly. We'll be just outside these doors so don't try anythin' funny," Pete ordered as he and the other soldier left the room.

Tara could see that Maggie was visibly nervous as they waited for Dr. Bennett to enter the room.

"Hey, baby...it's gonna be ok," Tara wrapped her arm around Maggie's waist, knowing Maggie needed some physical contact.

"This doctor needs to hurry up," Carol commented as Rosita nodded her head in agreement.

Just then there was a quick knock on the door before it opened and Dr. Bennett walked into the room, surprised by the extra visitors. Dr. Bennett was a woman in her forties, who had a nurturing smile and seemed like an overall pleasant person.

"So are we all co-parenting this baby? I'm Dr. Susan Bennett by the way," Dr. Bennett joked as she introduced herself to the strangers in front of her.

"I'm Tara and this is Maggie. We're the parents. Daryl, Carol, and Rosita are the concerned uncle and aunts," Tara explained as she shook Dr. Bennett's hand as the others mumbled their hellos.

"Alright then. Let's see your baby, shall we? Maggie, I'm guessing you're the one expecting? You just have a glow to you. Hop on the bed while I connect this machine up," Susan smiled warmly as she patted the patient bed, motioning for Maggie to get on.

Maggie gave Tara one last nervous look as she climbed on the bed. Dr. Bennett got the ultrasound machine up and running. She dug around in a drawer until she found the gel she was looking for.

"Alright, lift up your shirt just a bit. And this will be very cold so be prepared," Susan warned as Maggie did what she was told. Tara was by her side, clasping Maggie's hand, knowing her anxiousness was getting the best of her.

Susan put the gel on Maggie's abdomen, causing her to gasp at how cold it felt against her skin.

"Cold huh?" Dr. Bennett laughed as Maggie just nodded.

Susan grabbed the transducer wand and rubbed it around on Maggie's stomach until a baby came onto view on the ultrasound screen. Tara looked at the screen not exactly sure what she was looking at.

"You see that?" Dr. Bennett pointed to a tiny speck in the middle of the screen. Tara and Maggie nodded.

"That's your baby. It's super tiny right now, but everything looks great so far. Want to see if we can hear a heartbeat?" Dr. Bennett asked as everyone excitedly nodded their heads.

"The kiddo looks like a tiny bean," Daryl observed with a smile on his face.

Tara looked down at Maggie who had tears in her eyes. Tara lovingly placed a kiss on Maggie's hand, feeling her heart swell with love for both her wife and child.

Susan dug around in a drawer until she found what she was looking for - a fetal Doppler. "This bad boy is supposed to detect heartbeats as young as six weeks so we will see."

Everyone in the room held their breath until a fast, steady heartbeat filled the air around them. Maggie couldn't contain her tears anymore as they fell down her cheeks.

"That's our baby's heartbeat," Maggie looked at Tara with joy on her face. Tara couldn't contain her happiness as she leaned down to give Maggie a quick, messy kiss.

Carol and Rosita ran to Maggie's side, giving her a hug as they listened to the heartbeat continue on.

Daryl pulled Tara into a hug, both of them shedding a few tears. Tara couldn't believe that she was listening to her child's heartbeat. She never thought she would ever have an opportunity like this one.

"Sounds like a strong, healthy heartbeat," Dr. Bennett said in a soft, sad voice. Tara noticed the mood change in Susan immediately, wondering the reason for it.

Susan stood up, handing Maggie a rag to clean up. "If you will excuse me for a moment, I need to have a word with Pete and Jeff real quick."

Dr. Bennett was out of the room before anyone could comment. Everyone could feel some kind of tension fill the air around them.

"Somethin' ain't right," Daryl chimed in as Tara nodded in response. They both got their weapons ready, waiting for whatever came through that door.

Dr. Bennett walked in the room, clearly surprised by the weapons that were raised in her direction. She sighed at their determination, knowing it wouldn't help them. They seemed like good people but the people here were ruthless.

"Those won't help you. Collin has been waiting for this moment for a long time apparently," Susan told the group of survivors in front of her.

"What moment?" Tara asked in confusion.

"Collin has lost a couple of daughters. So he has been trying to have his own child for a while now. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to get any women here pregnant. So his next idea was to find a woman who was already pregnant and take their baby. Unfortunately, that looks like it's gonna be your baby. Plus, Colllin seemed hellbent on revenge against your group for some reason," Susan explained the situation to the shocked faces in front of her.

"That bastard must have us confused with some other group. We don't know no Collin," Daryl said angrily as he glared at the doctor.

Susan simply shrugged, "He seemed to know exactly who you were and all your names."

Tara was beyond pissed at this point. She didn't know who this Colllin fucker was but she knew that she wouldn't let him lay a hand on Maggie or their baby.

"He wants my baby?" Maggie said in disbelief as Carol and Rosita tried to comfort her as best as they could.

Tara walked over to Maggie, "Baby, I promise you that he won't get near you or Peanut."

Maggie could see that Tara was in total protective mode, knowing that she would do whatever she needed to do to ensure their safety. Tara pulled Maggie into a comforting embrace as the door unlocked and swung open.

Pete and Jeff stepped in. "You ready to join your friends? Collin is just dying to meet y'all," Jeff laughed as he pointed his gun at the occupants in the room.

"Don't try anything funny...or I will shoot y'all," Pete ordered gruffly as he led the group out. Tara was about to pull her gun on the two men in front of her until she noticed that there about fifteen other foot soldiers waiting for them. No way could they take on that kind of man power.

Pete stopped the captives in front of the other soldiers. "Give up your weapons or I will kill one of you and try me if you don't think I'm serious."

Tara glared at Pete as she unholstered all her weapons, throwing them on the ground. The other four quickly followed her lead until her small group was completely weaponless. Pete roughly grabbed Tara, using her to lead the others throughout the town until they came upon a trailer of an 18-wheeler.

Jeff opened the door before roughly pushing Tara into the trailer. Tara composed herself quickly, making sure to catch Maggie as she was thrown into the trailer. Daryl, Carol, and Rosita soon followed as the door was shut and locked.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill Dennis," Tara announced as she paced back and forth, anger coursing throughout her body.

"Get in line," a voice said in the back. Tara turned to see that Rick and the rest of their group were in the trailer.

"Are y'all ok?" Rick asked as he looked over the remaining members of his group.

"Yeah, except this Collin fucker wants to take my kid cuz apparently he can't make any of his own," Tara said, her voice full of fury. She could feel her body preparing for a fight, adrenaline going crazy.

Maggie sat against the wall of the trailer, hormones and tears going crazy as she thought about what the family was facing now. Carol and Rosita sat on each side of her, trying to reassure her that everything would be alright. Tara wished there was something she could do to help Maggie, but she was too angry and full of hate for these people who dared to try to hurt her loved ones.

"He ain't takin' anythin' from us," Daryl promised as he patted Tara on the shoulder. Tara could tell he was ready for a fight also.

A thought crossed Tara's mind as she frantically looked around the trailer, relief flooding through her when she saw that Carl had Judith in his arms. Rick knew what Tara had been thinking, the thoughts had crossed his mind also.

"They haven't said anythin' about Judith. Though if this guy wants children, he might try to take her also. That fucker is gonna learn that he picked the wrong people to fuck with," Rick glared at the door, daring someone to walk through it.

A couple of hours went by with no sign of anyone from the outside world. They looked around the trailer, looking for any kind of material to make some weapons but so far nothing was usable or salvageable. Rick and Daryl paced around the trailer, waiting for anything to happen.

Tara held Maggie tight against the wall, trying to comfort her wife as best as she could. Maggie rested her head on Tara's shoulder, her arms around her waist.

"I won't let anything happen to you, I promise," Tara said in the darkness, knowing she would die to keep that promise if she had to.

Maggie didn't say anything as she tried to savor every second she had with Tara. She just needed Tara's serene embrace and soothing words at that moment. Maggie didn't want to think about what could happen in a few short hours, minutes, or even seconds.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and rattle on the door, as it was being unlocked. Tara gave Maggie a quick kiss before she joined Rick, Daryl, and Abraham in front of the door, ready for whoever might appear.

The door lifted open as a tall, silhouetted figure stood in the doorway. He held a lantern at his side but his face was still hidden in the shadows. They couldn't get a good look at the man's face since it was night out and darkness filled the trailer already.

"Well, Rick, it's great to finally see you again," the stranger said into the darkness. Tara felt her blood run cold as she immediately recognized the man's voice. She could feel Daryl's body stiffen beside her as he also knew who the malicious voice belonged to.

The man raised the lantern to his face, and almost everyone in that trailer felt like they were staring at a ghost. Tara blinked her eyes a few times, trying to make sure her brain was registering correctly what her eyes were seeing in front of her.

Finally, after a few seconds of shock, Tara found her voice. "I thought Lilly shot and killed you. I thought I saw her do that."

The Governor laughed at Tara's statement, "She shot at me yes, but your sister was terrible with a gun. Lilly couldn't even get a damn headshot right. Maybe if you had taught her how to shoot correctly, she would still be alive."

Tara took a good look at the man she had known as Brian. He still looked pretty much the same with the eye patch but now scars riddled his face, and he walked with a slight limp.

"I thought I had killed you," Michonne walked up to the Governor with hate seething from her eyes.

"You got me pretty good, I will give you that but you missed all the major organs. And if you thought the walkers we're going to get to me...well, they had Lilly to snack on so I was able to get away," Brian laughed as Tara felt anger explode throughout her body.

"You know this bastard?" Daryl asked Tara, confused on how his best friend would know the ruthless leader.

Brian laughed, "Don't tell me not everyone in your group knows about your involvement in the prison raid. Does Maggie know? Does she know how you were right there when I cut off Hershel's head?"

"What's he talkin' about?" Sasha demanded as she gave Tara a look, hoping what the Governor was saying wasn't true.

"I was with Brian's group when the prison raid went down. I was there to hurt you guys, but I couldn't go through with it at the end and I didn't fire a bullet," Tara admitted as she looked at the shocked faces of her friends who didn't know her backstory.

"You forgot to mention that you were one of the first ones to volunteer for the prison raid. Tara was eager to fight y'all," Brian gave a sadistic laugh. Tara felt the weight of several stares on her. Daryl gave her a look that she couldn't quite read, hoping that he didn't hate her now.

"I only wanted to protect Lilly and Meghan," Tara said as she remembered one of the worst days of her life.

"Well, because of you, they are both dead now," Brian commented as Tara glared at him.

"Quit tryin' to turn us against her. Tara has more than redeemed herself and she is part of my family now," Rick defiantly told his arch nemesis as he stood up to him.

"Well, I see you haven't changed at all Rick Grimes," the Governor spat as he stared down the other man.

"What are you gonna do to us?" Sasha asked, knowing how ruthless the Governor could be.

"I'm gonna kill you all is what I'm gonna do. Except you, Maggie. I'm gonna wait until you have your baby...then I'll kill you. You see, the only time I have ever felt more alive is when I had a family. Tara, you may hate me now but you have to admit I was good to Meghan. That's all I want is a child to call my own. I can't get one biologically but I can take yours," Brian told his captives of his plan.

"The fuck you're getting my baby, you sick sadistic bastard. I will kill you before you ever lay a hand on Maggie, especially after what you did to her," Tara started to charge at the man in front of her, only to be held back by Daryl.

The Governor only laughed in response, "What did I do to her, huh?"

Tara glared at the despicable man in front of her. Tara turned to look at Maggie, hating to see how scared she looked with Carol and Rosita by her side.

"You raped her, you fuckin' piece of shit. And for that, I'm gonna kill you," Tara said as shocked gasps filled the air around her. Maggie felt the stares of everyone on her as Carol and Rosita put a comforting arm around her.

"When?" Daryl asked in a small voice. He hated knowing one of his friends went through a horrible act such as that. The desire to kill the man in front of him grew with each passing second.

"When he kidnapped Glenn and me. He wanted to know where the prison was and I held out for as long as I could until he...raped me...repeatedly," Maggie felt tears leave her eyes as she remembered that horrible day.

Tara hated the broken look that was on Maggie's face, knowing that the monster who caused it was standing right in front of her.

"Maybe we can have a repeat performance, Maggie," Brian grinned disgustingly.

"You touch her...I will kill you and that is a promise," Tara glared at the Governor as she stood her ground against him.

"Congratulations on the little one by the way, Tara. It's surprising that you actually are sticking around for this one," Brian ignored Tara's threat, taking in her confused face.

"What do you mean?" Tara asked, clearly not knowing what Brian was talking about.

"Alisha was pregnant or at least thought she was. She had missed her period and had some other symptoms. She told Lilly and I the news and your sister was ecstatic to say the least. Alisha was gonna tell you after the prison raid," Brian told Tara as he remembered the days when he had thought of Tara as a little sister.

"She couldn't have been pregnant..." Tara was clearly shocked by the news.

"Alisha was though," Brian confirmed as everyone looked at Tara, not expecting all these truths to come out this way.

"If I had known Alisha was pregnant, I would have done anything to protect her and the baby," Tara told Brian, seemingly forgetting that everyone else was in the trailer also.

Maggie felt a little pang of sadness at Tara's confession. She knew Tara loved her but hearing her talk about someone else like that made her feel a little insecure. When Tara had mentioned Alisha in the past, she made it seem like Alisha was just a fun time. Hearing her talk now, made Maggie think that maybe Tara had some suppressed feelings for her late ex.

"Well, it's too late for all that now. Just nice to know that you sided with the group that killed the mother of your first child and even got one of them knocked up. Lilly must be pretty proud of you," Brian knew he had hit a nerve in Tara as she was no longer as defiant as she was before.

"But either way, I'm going to kill all of y'all. You have caused me too much grief over and over again. This time I will have my revenge on all of you. But don't worry Rick, I will take good care of Judith and be a better father than you ever will be," the Governor smirked when he saw how angry Rick was. Rick lunged for him but was immediately knocked down by one of Brian's soldiers.

"Oh, and you can call me Collin now if you want. Or for old time's sake, we can stick to the Governor or Brian. It's whatever you prefer, really. Now enjoy your time in here because it's gonna be short lived. We have some festivities planned for tonight. See you in a bit," Brian cackled as he shut the door behind him and quickly locked it.

Tara leaned against the door, trying to process everything Brian had told her. Daryl stood next to her, looking her over.

"How are ya feelin'?" Daryl asked his best friend, knowing she was still in shock from everything.

"How would you feel if you found out that your ex had been pregnant and you didn't do anything to make sure she was protected or safe?" Tara asked as Daryl nodded his head in understanding.

Daryl took a look at Maggie who was sitting on the opposite side of the trailer, her arms around herself in an attempt to warm up her body. She was sitting away from everyone, needing some space after the revelation of her past rape.

"Yeah, it probably sucks but you have Maggie now and Peanut. They are both alive and well, and they both need you now more than ever. Remember the whole everythin' happens for a reason? Well, if you still had Alisha, you probably never would have met Maggie. Could you really picture your life without her in it?" Daryl tried to make Tara see what was important now since she had a family to take care of.

"Plus, you didn't know. It would have been different if you had known and not cared. But I know you. You didn't know...it ain't your fault. Don't let that prick make you think it is. Your sister and niece...ain't your fault either. Don't let him win," Daryl put his arm around Tara's shoulders, trying to comfort her.

Tara listened to what Daryl told her, knowing that he was right. She took a look at Maggie who was trying to keep her tears from falling. She felt bad about the whole Alisha thing but right now Maggie needed her. If Tara had known about the other pregnancy then she would have done the honorable thing but she hadn't known. She couldn't blame herself for this.

Tara patted Daryl on the back, giving him a silent thanks for talking to her. Tara took a seat next to Maggie, who looked at her with tear filled eyes. Tara put her arm protectively around her wife, pulling her close. Maggie buried her face into Tara's neck, taking in her comforting scent.

"Maggie, I promise that somehow I will get you out of this mess. I love you so much," Tara leaned down to kiss those soft lips, tasting Maggie's tears.

"I love you so much. I don't want to lose you..." Maggie felt a fresh wave of tears hit her at the thought of not having Tara around anymore.

Tara didn't say anything as she held Maggie close not sure what Brian had in store for them. She just knew that the man seemed hellbent on revenge against their group. Tara knew that one way or another, she was going to kill that bastard for what he had done to Maggie. The Governor definitely wouldn't go unpunished for that horrible deed.

Suddenly, there was banging on the door as it opened up to the night. A group of Brian's foot soldiers were waiting outside as Pete jumped into the trailer. He looked around at the defiant faces that looked at him.

"Don't try anything or you will get shot. No hesitation. Besides, you'll be able to get your anger out on due time," Pete laughed at his own personal joke as he roughly grabbed Rick and threw him out the door. Another foot soldier grabbed Rick, tying his hands together with rope before leading him away.

One by one, each member of the family was tied up. A woman came and took Judith away much to everyone's dismay and disapproval. Tara made sure the men weren't too rough with Maggie, ready to start a fight if they were.

The captives were led to a bon fire where a huge ring was dug in the center of the town square, littered with dry blood. On each side of the ring were spectator seats already occupied with people waiting for an event to begin. Next to the seats was a metal cage where the Grimes group was thrown into.

Pete locked the door, grinning at everyone inside like an idiot. Tara glared at him, vowing to kill that bastard also.

"Y'all are gonna have some fun tonight," Pete laughed as he smirked at the family.

"Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit," Tara said before she could stop herself. She couldn't help the anger which was flowing through her.

"You best keep that attitude in check before it gets you in trouble. You will be sorry," Pete glared at Tara, trying to intimidate her but she wouldn't back down which infuriated him more.

Brian appeared in the middle of the ring, demanding respect and quiet. The crowd quieted down as they all paid attention to their fearless leader.

"Friends, another peaceful night is upon us now that those horrible people have been captured. We are now safe again!" Cheers erupted from the crowd for a few seconds before Brian continued.

"Now, we can continue our treasured tradition of having the captives fight for their lives in the ring. Now without further ado, let the games begin!" Brian shouted as the crowd whooped and hollered in approval.

"Bring me one...doesn't matter who!" Brian yelled to Pete.

Pete opened the metal door, knowing exactly who he was going to pick. He grabbed Tara out of the metal cage, much to Maggie's dismay.

"Good choice. This should be interesting," Brian laughed as he led Tara to the center of the ring. He promptly cut the rope away from her hands.

Tara looked around at the spectators who looked hungry for blood. She spotted Dr. Bennett who looked saddened by what was going on in front of her.

"Here is our first fighter of the night. I know her and she is a tough thing so she should keep us entertained for hours!" Brian shouted as there were claps of approval from the crowd.

"Good luck," he told Tara as he left the ring. Tara looked at the metal cage where her friends were kept. She saw Maggie looking at her, with tears rushing down her face. Tara silently told Maggie how much she loved her.

Tara suddenly heard growls and snarls coming from in front of her. She watched as six walkers were led to the ring with ropes around their necks being guided by some foot soldiers. Tara realized that she was going to be against six walkers with no weapons.

The ropes were cut from the walker's necks as they were pushed into the ring. The crowd cheered as they realized their event was about to begin.

Maggie watched as Tara faced the six walkers, all on one side of the ring. She didn't know how Tara would get out of this mess. Maggie couldn't help the tears that fell, realizing that Tara was basically walker food right now. Carol and Rosita tried to give her some reassurance, even though they knew the situation looked dire.

Tara faced the six walkers that were standing on the opposite side of the ring. The crowd was cheering as they watched the scene in front of them. She took a deep breath, knowing that she was literally fighting for her life now. Tara waited for the walkers to make their move...

* * *

Holy shit! The Governor is back and alive! And now he's hellbent on revenge. So will Tara make it out alive or will she be walker bait? I'm not that evil, am I? Do you guys really trust me? We will find out soon enough.

Anyways, thank you to everyone who takes the time to review and show me some love. :) You guys are the best and I have the best readers ever.

This chapter's song is "Toxicity" by System of a Down.

Thank you once again for everything! :)


	18. Feel It In My Bones

Tara watched from her position as the walkers caught wind of her scent, turning to descend upon her. Tara knew that when you got overwhelmed with too many walkers at once then you were pretty much biter chow. She needed to keep moving and somehow take them out one by one.

Tara gazed all around her, looking for something, anything that could be used a weapon. Suddenly, she caught sight of a small piece of wood by where all the walkers were moving about. It wasn't much, but Tara was sure if used right, she would be able to stake walker heads with it.

She took a deep breath and whistled to get all the walkers' attention so they could leave that area. "Hey fuckers! Over here!"

As soon as the biters started to slowly descend onto the opposite side of the ring, Tara ran to where the piece of wood was. She quickly claimed her prize, happy to see that the wood was sturdy enough to go through a few walker brains.

Tara then waited as the walkers realized that their meal had moved positions. They then slowly turned towards her, hungry for human flesh, teeth chomping in anticipation.

The crowd around her was cheering and whistling, knowing that the real action was about to start. Tara wasn't sure if they were cheering for her or the walkers, but the thought left her mind as the first walker made its way towards her.

Tara marched up to it, grabbing the collar of a walker who used to be a man, and plunged her stake deep into its head, cracking it open. Blood and gore poured all over the ground, and onto her hand as the crowd applauded in approval. Tara let the limp body fall to the ground, and ran into the opposite side of the ring, barely escaping the clutches of a female creeper.

"Let me out, you motherfuckers! This ain't a fair fight and you know it!" Daryl banged on the metal door, trying to open it. His knuckles were white with the force he kept applying to the metal bars that stood between him and his best friend.

"She seems to be doing fine so far. Hell, she might even be the first one to survive onto the second round. The crowd would love that," the Governor simply stated, not taking his eyes off of the ring.

"You fuckin' son of a bitch. I swear when I get out of here, I'm gonna fuckin' gut you like a fuckin' pig," Daryl threatened as the Governor laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

"Yeah, we will see about that. You forget who's in charge here," Brian gave Daryl a sneer before turning back to the action that was happening in the ring.

Daryl wanted to turn away from what was going on in the ring, but like a bad car accident he couldn't turn away. Daryl didn't want to see Tara get torn apart by a bunch of walkers, but knowing this would probably be the last time he saw her alive, he tried to send her silent encouragement. He wanted Tara to know that he would do whatever he could to make sure Maggie got out this alive and well.

Daryl watched as Tara was able to grab onto the female walker, its teeth merely inches away from Tara's arm as his friend stabbed the offending creature. Tara let the body fall to the ground before moving away quickly as two biters tried to gang up on her. The crowd continued their yells and jeers of support to the scene playing out in front of them.

Daryl surveyed the metal cage where his family was being kept. Everyone was busy watching Tara fight for her life, no one could turn away. He felt bad that Maggie was having to witness what could be Tara's last seconds of life. Rosita and Carol were beside her, trying to comfort her but even they knew the situation was dire. Even if Tara survived this first round, who knew what else Brian had in store for her.

Maggie couldn't keep back the tears that kept falling as her friends tried to give her false hope and comfort. She also couldn't turn away from the scene in front of her, hating how the townspeople were seemingly cheering for Tara's death. Maggie's heart raced as she watched Tara move around in the ring. Her heart nearly stopping each time Tara came close to getting bitten or grabbed by a walker.

Maggie stood in the cage, wishing she could tell Tara how much she loved and needed her. She wished she could at least kiss Tara's lips one last time and feel her strong arms around her. Maggie was trying to be realistic, knowing that Tara would probably not survive this night. The thought just brought more tears as she realized what Tara would miss out on. The birth of their child, getting to hold the baby in her arms, the first steps, everything.

She wiped the tears away, even though more just replaced them. Tara had been able to dispatch two more walkers, leaving just two. Tara stood, waiting for the biters to come at her with full force. They walked towards her, arms outstretched to grab ahold of her body. Tara sidestepped a female with red hair, grabbing the jaw, getting ready to plunge her stake into its head.

Tara didn't realize that a body was lying right behind her before it was too late. Tara tripped, toppling over as the walker landed right on her, losing her stake in the process. Suddenly, the other walker tripped over the body, and landed on the small dog-pile. Tara realized that she had two chomping set of walker teeth right by her neck, just inches away from ripping her throat out.

Tara reached behind her, hoping to feel her stake in her fingertips. She couldn't feel anything but a dead walker's head. Using all her strength, Tara ripped the dead walker's head from its body, using it to pound one of the biters trying to kill her with so much force, both heads exploded in a burst of rotted brains and blood.

Feeling a newfound strength, Tara kicked the two walkers off of her. One of the bodies rolled off, having moved for the last time. The other, tried to stand up as Tara looked for her stake. She finally found it, thrown carelessly by another rotted body.

Tara narrowed her eyes at the remaining biter as she marched up to it, grabbing its restless jaw before stabbing it through the skull. She stabbed it over and over, stomping on its head, letting out all the anger she felt. The crowd around her erupted in applause, happy that someone had finally survived the first round,

Tara looked at the Governor, who stood rubbing his chin as if in thought. "Is that all you've got, you fuckin' prick?" Tara yelled as she tried to catch her breath. She didn't want to admit it, but her body was starting to get tired.

The occupants in the metal cage were besides themselves with some happiness that Tara had managed to survive the first round. Their celebration stopped as soon as they saw blood running down Tara's side.

"Oh fuck...please don't tell me she got bit!" Sasha said in dismay.

Daryl got Tara's attention, motioning to her that she was bleeding. Everyone held their breath as Tara lifted up her shirt. There were loud sighs of relief as they saw that Tara's stitches had ripped open and that was the source of her bleeding.

Tara looked around at the crowd as they shouted for the next round. The faces of the bloodthirsty men and women was etched into her mind as they motioned for the next obstacle that brought her closer to death. Tara vowed to kill as many of the townspeople as she could if she survived this somehow.

There was a slow clap to her right as the Governor walked to the side of the pit. He looked down at Tara, continuing his slow clap with a smile on his face.

"I thought you were a goner there for a second, but I should have known better. You never give up even when it's in your best interest to do so," Brian gave a small chuckle.

"Fuck off," Tara said defiantly as she spotted Dennis in the crowd. She made a mental note to kill him also for getting them into this mess.

"Still have an attitude I see. It's okay...I don't expect you to survive the next round anyways. Then I'm gonna kill the rest of your group, except Maggie of course. I have plans for her...you know I wasn't going to assault her again but she was a good lay," the Governor snickered.

Tara glared at him, "You touch her and I will kill you, you pathetic motherfucker!"

"You'll be dead. Just a memory, along with that Chinese chink, Glenn," Brian laughed with malice.

"Glenn was Korean, you prick," Tara could feel her anger growing tenfold with the mention of Maggie and Glenn by the Governor.

"Well, let the games begin, shall we? Let's see how much fight you have left in you," Brian smiled at her before turning to the crowd. The people immediately quieted down to hear what their leader was about to announce.

"Friends, it seems we have a first. Someone actually survived the first round!" The crowd erupted in cheers and hollers, Brian let it go on for a few seconds before he continued. "So now we shall commence onto round two! Hopefully, we will get a third round out of this one."

There were murmurs of agreement from the audience as Tara felt the weight of their stares on her. She looked at the cage where her loved ones were being kept. The longer she was able to stay alive, the longer they would go unharmed by this bloodthirsty community. Tara kept that goal in mind, knowing she was probably going to die tonight.

Tara made eye contact with Maggie, who's eyes were red and who's face was tear stained from all the crying she had done. Tara mouthed 'I love you' to Maggie, knowing it was probably the last time she would be able to say that to the love of her life. Tara hoped Daryl and Rick had formulated some type of plan to get the rest of the group out of this mess.

Tara stared at Maggie's beauty for as long as she could. She wanted to make sure her last memory would be of the beautiful woman who changed her life in so many ways. Tara felt some tears threaten to fall as she thought about how she would never get to touch Maggie's soft skin again or hold her tight. How she wouldn't be there for the birth of their child and would miss out on their daughter or son's life. Tara could only hope that the rest of her family would get out of this dilemma and raise her child to be a better person than she ever could have been. Tara composed herself, not wanting to show any weakness to Brian or his soldiers.

"...and now for the next round to begin!" Tara caught the last words of the Governor's speech to his people, readying her body for what was to come next.

Tara heard some more growls and moans as she saw a small herd of walkers coming her way being led on chains by the foot soldiers. She counted the walkers, seeing that there were ten this time. She sighed, not knowing if she would be able to survive this round. Tara was determined to stay alive as long as possible to give her family a fighting chance.

Daryl felt his heart drop as he counted the biters that went by the cage. He could hear Maggie's sobs get deeper as they all realized that Tara probably only had a few minutes to live. He rattled the bars of the cage, creating as much noise as he possibly could.

"Let me out, you pricks! This ain't right and you know it! Let me help her!" Daryl pleaded at the two foot soldiers who were supposed to be guarding their cage, but were too busy watching the ring. They ignored him, their stares being kept on the pit.

Daryl kicked the cage until Rick placed his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. Daryl felt the tears that he had been holding back roll down his face. His best friend was probably minutes from death and there was nothing he could do. Daryl felt so utterly helpless and defeated in that moment. He could only tell Tara silently that he would make sure Maggie survived this and that her child would know what a courageous person Tara had always been.

The walkers were thrown into the pit as Tara paced back and forth, trying to figure out where to begin. Almost immediately, two female biters descended onto her at an alarming quick rate. She was able to grab one by the shirt, and dispatch it with her stake. The other grabbed Tara's arm, getting ready to take a bite. Tara roughly pushed the female walker back, before getting a grip on its jaw, and slamming its head into the wall of the pit. The head exploded easily against the wall, the body rolling onto the floor.

Tara jumped out of the way before the remaining eight pounced on her, being able to get out of the way just in time. She ran as fast as she could to the opposite side of the ring, waiting on the walkers to come at her one by one. Tara's plan almost worked, except that two walkers, one male and one female, decided to attack her at the same time. She pushed the female into the male walker sending them both falling to the ground. Before they had time to react, Tara stomped on their heads, hearing the squishing sounds of their dripping brains underneath her boot. Tara kept stomping on the gray matter until their faces were unrecognizable, letting out all her fury.

Tara was brought back to reality by the sound of a low growl by her ear. Tara turned just in time to avoid being ambushed by a group of four biters. Tara then spotted another potential weapon - a chain had fallen into the pit from when it had been cut from a walker's neck. She quickly ran to the chain, grabbing it before a walker could pounce on her.

Tara quickly ran to the opposite end of the ring, waiting for the remaining six biters to come after her. Daryl watched, still banging on the cage, trying to desperately reach his friend. Suddenly, he had an idea that just might be crazy enough to work. Daryl turned to the group who were watching the fight in progress.

"Do any of you girls have a bobby pin? We might be able to open this lock with one. The guards ain't paying attention to us. It might jus' work," Daryl explained to his friends.

"Here," Rosita reached into her pocket, bringing out three bobby pins. Daryl took them and quickly got to work on the lock.

"Let me know if they anyone looks this way. We gotta be as discrete as possible," Daryl said as the others nodded, gazing around at their surroundings, making sure everyone was focused on the pit.

Meanwhile, Tara was waiting for the remaining walkers to get to her. She got her chain ready as three walkers tried to corner her, with all her strength she threw half of the heavy chain into their direction, beheading all three with one whip of the chain. The headless bodies fell into a heap onto the ground. The crowd erupted with cheers as the audience seemed to approve of that move.

Two female biters slowly walked in Tara's direction, ready for a meal. Tara grabbed her chain again, and effortlessly whipped both of the walker's heads from their rotting corpses. The blood and guts splattered all over the ring, walls, and onto Tara's clothes. Tara let herself catch her breath for a few seconds before making eye contact with the last biter left.

The final walker paced its way to Tara, not getting very far before she roughly grabbed it, throwing it to the ground before staking its eye, killing it instantly. Tara knelt down by the bodies of her enemies, trying to catch her breath. Her body, though pumped full of adrenaline, was getting more and more tired. Her muscles were sore, her side hurt where the stitches had ripped. Ignoring all the pain, Tara stood up to her full height and stared directly at the Governor, daring him to make another move.

The Governor seemed in thought as plans ran through his mind, trying to find the easiest way to get rid of Tara. So far she was proving to be quite a handful and a threat that needed to be taken care of. Plus, the crowd seemed to like her more and more with each round, and he couldn't have that threat.

Daryl kept working on the lock, trying his hardest to get the door open. He kept looking at the pit, watching the standoff between Tara and the Governor. Both of them were staring at each other, hatred seeping from their eyes.

"Bring me the pregnant one," Brian said as Tara felt her heart drop at the mention of Maggie.

Daryl quickly hid the bobby pins as two soldiers opened the metal cage, grabbing Maggie despite the threats from the other occupants. They watched helplessly as Maggie was marched to Brian, who cut the ropes away from her hands.

"I can see why you would do anything for her, she's a beauty," Brian smirked at Tara as he took a whiff of Maggie's hair.

"Smells good too," he smiled as Tara just glared at him. Suddenly, Brian pushed Maggie into the ring. Tara immediately ran to catch Maggie before she fell onto the ground from his rough push.

Maggie couldn't believe that she was in Tara's arms again. Tears fell as she wrapped her arms around Tara's body, not caring that Tara's clothes were full of dirt and blood.

Tara gently lifted up Maggie's chin, guiding their lips together in a passionate kiss. Tara made sure to savor this kiss, remembering how Maggie tasted and felt. They finally had to pull away for air as Tara gently wiped away the tears that were on Maggie's face.

"How sweet, young love. Too bad it won't last," the Governor laughed as he turned to face the crowd.

"What we have here now is an unheard of round three! And it's a fight to the death between these two young lovers," Brian smiled in contempt, knowing that Tara would not lay a finger on Maggie. He knew Tara would make Maggie kill her in order to save her and the baby. The crowd seemed conflicted at first before cheers started to rain down.

The family in the cage were grief stricken by the news as Daryl tried to hurry up and get the locked picked, knowing that time was essentially running out. He couldn't wait to get his hands on the bastard who seemed set on killing his best friend.

Tara had to admit that Brian did find a way to take her out with no blood on his own hands. She looked over at Maggie who was crying fresh tears, knowing what would have to be done.

The Governor threw a hunting knife into the pit as he gave Tara a cocky grin. "And if you don't comply with the rules, I'm gonna shoot your friends dead one by one until you do," he added before Tara had time to be defiant.

Tara sighed in frustration as she bent down to take the knife, handing it out to Maggie who just shook her head.

"What happens to Maggie if she kills me?" Tara asked Brian, who simply shrugged.

"I'm just gonna stick her back in the cage and end the festivities for the night. It's getting late after all," Brian answered like he was planning a simple vacation and not the ruthless slaughter of Tara's family.

Tara knew that extra time was what her friends needed to get away. She would give them that even if it meant having to give her own life up. She needed to make sure they had a chance to get away.

Maggie pulled Tara close, whispering in her ear what Daryl was trying to do. Tara took a look over at the cage and saw him picking the lock but not quite getting it. She wasn't sure they had much time before Brian figured out that something was up, and who knew what the consequences would be then.

Tara knew they were running out of time before Brian did something to hurt someone she loved. Tara handed the knife to Maggie, who didn't want to take it.

"I can't...I can't..." Maggie said between sobs.

"You have to, baby. It's the only way that you and Peanut can be safe. And it gives you guys more time to get out of here during the night. I don't think Daryl will get that door open in time," Tara said sadly as Maggie continued to cry.

Tara pulled Maggie into a hug, feeling Maggie's arms roughly grip her, holding on for dear life. Tara felt all the warmth from Maggie's body. She smelled Maggie's hair which had a faint scent of vanilla. She savored these last few seconds of having Maggie in her arms.

"I love you so much, Maggie. Take care of our baby for me. Our daughter. You said you think it's gonna be a girl so that's what I'm gonna die believing," Tara could feel a few tears leave her eyes, knowing that this would be the last time she saw Maggie's beautiful face.

"I love you too. I'm sorry...I promise our baby will know who you were and how much you loved her. I'm gonna miss you so much," Maggie sobbed, not wanting to let go of Tara.

Their friends in the cage watched the heartbreaking scene in front of them, not wanting to believe that the end was near for Tara. A few of them had tears, they couldn't even begin to imagine how Maggie must have felt in that moment.

After a few minutes, Tara gently pulled Maggie away from her. She hated how broken hearted Maggie looked, her eyes red with tears.

"Remember, you have to do this for our baby and the rest of our family. Just stab me right in the chest to make it quick. Then through the brain so I can't turn," Tara handed the knife to Maggie who trembled as she took it. The crowd jeered at the young couple for taking too long.

The Governor scoffed at the couple in front of him. "Hurry it up already. Can't you see the crowd is getting antsy?" he sneered at them. Tara felt Maggie shake beside her in fear of the man in front of them.

"Shut the fuck up, you coward. Let us have this moment together," Tara said angrily as the Governor glared at her.

"Why do you think I'm a coward?" Brian questioned, not liking how defiant Tara had become in the face of death.

"Because you're making Maggie do your dirty work. You want to kill me, quit being a pussy and do it yourself," Tara challenged as the audience grew quiet, listening to the conversation.

The Governor looked around at his townspeople, their curious faces waiting to see if he would step up to the challenge. He knew he couldn't back down and seem weak to his people. If Tara wanted a fight, then she was going to get one.

"Fine. You want to fight me. Then let's do this. Fight to the death between you and me," the Governor jumped into the pit, marching up to Tara.

Tara gently pulled Maggie behind her, protecting her from Brian. The Governor motioned for a soldier to take Maggie away, and to retrieve the knife. The soldier gave the knife to his leader, who tossed it to Tara.

"Let's make this interesting," the Governor told Tara as he whispered to his soldier what weapon to bring.

Maggie was being restrained by another soldier, Tara making sure they weren't being too rough with her wife. Tara made eye contact with Daryl who was still working on the lock. They both nodded to each other, making a silent plan. Tara would keep everyone occupied until Daryl could open the door and free their family. Then they would take out some soldiers and secure weapons.

A soldier came up to the Governor with his weapon of choice, a long bladed sword. Tara knew that her knife was no match for the sharp sword, but she was determined to try. She wasn't going to let the Governor get away with what he did to Maggie in the past. Tara was determined to make the bastard pay.

The Governor turned to look at Tara, watching as she stood her ground against him. He knew that she was pumped up for a fight, and he needed to knock her down a few notches. Brian knew that Tara's only true weakness was Maggie so he decided to use that to his advantage.

"When you're dead and I kill your group, then Maggie will be in for a real treat. I'm going to make sure she is well taken care of if you know what I mean. And I'm sure she'll be crying for you to save her but we both know that won't happen," Brian gave a malicious laugh, delighted when he saw some of Tara's fight leave her body.

Tara didn't want to think about Maggie in that situation. She felt her heart break a bit visioning what Brian had described. Tara quickly pushed the thoughts out of her head, knowing she was in a fight to make sure nothing like that would ever happen to Maggie. She was in a fight for Maggie and their baby.

"Also, I will be sure to raise your child better than you ever would have been able to," Brian sneered at her, trying to get a reaction out of Tara.

Tara glared at the Governor, waiting for him to make a move. They stared at each other, each daring the other to make the first move. The crowd was going wild with cheers for their beloved leader, wanting to see him take out the fearless fighter in front of them.

Brian made the first move, swinging the sword in Tara's direction. Tara barely ducked out of its way as it came swishing towards her head. Brian made another move towards Tara, bringing the sword down onto her arm. Tara felt some pain as the sword made a long cut on her arm, blood flowing from the wound. She took a second to inspect her arm, making sure nothing important was injured.

"You're lucky you didn't mess up any of my tattoos, you prick," Tara yelled at the Governor as she moved to the opposite side of the ring, trying to ignore the pain.

Brian ignored her, wanting to antagonize Tara some more and make her careless. "You know what...why wait on having some fun with Maggie? Hell, I might start tonight after I kill you, and I'll be sure to hurt her in every way possible."

Tara heard the Governor's threat and laughter, feeling anger grow within her to levels she had never experienced before. She knew she needed to kill the Governor right here, and right now. Tara would not let him touch Maggie again.

Daryl kept working the lock, feeling that he was close to opening the door. He knew that Tara was about to make a major move. He could only hope that whatever she did worked in her favor. Daryl heard the threat the Governor had shouted, he knew Tara was in protective mode.

Tara gave Brian one last look before charging into his direction. The Governor was unprepared as they both toppled over deceased walker bodies. The sword and knife went flying from their hands as Tara landed on Brian. She grabbed the collar of his shirt as she punched him as hard as she could. There was a crack as his nose broke, blood gushing out on both of them.

Tara continued her punches until Brian was able to finally kick her off of him. He looked at one of his soldiers, signaling a sign. They immediately threw another weapon in his direction, as Brian grabbed it ready to do damage.

"Another fuckin' bat..." Tara muttered as she looked around for her knife or the sword. She was dismayed to find that they were on Brian's side of the ring.

Tara watched as Brian suddenly charged at her, swinging the bat with all his fury. Tara took a few steps back up only to trip on a walker body, which littered the ground around them. She fell onto the ground, as Brian brought the bat down onto the side of her body. Tara was pretty sure a few ribs had just been fractured or broken from the hit.

Tara laid on the ground, clutching her side as Brian brought the bat down again. Tara could vaguely hear Maggie yelling at the Governor to stop as he brought the bat down again. Tara knew she needed to do something before she ended up like Glenn. Brian had a crazy look in his eyes, the crowd cheering for him to put Tara to death. He gave her a couple of kicks on her head with his boot, wanting to disorient her. Tara fought away the urge to pass out after those hits to her head. Brian brought the bat down again, hitting her slightly on the head. Tara felt a wave of pain as blood gushed from the wound, but she barely noticed.

Tara suddenly realized she still had the wooden stake in her pocket. She could only hope it would be sturdy enough to penetrate human flesh. Tara quickly reached into her pocket, ignoring all the pain that radiated from her body. Just as the Governor was swinging the bat to take another hit, she jumped to her feet, plunging the stake into his stomach, making sure it went as deep as possible, blood seeping from the wound.

Brian dropped the bat as he yelled in pain, blood filling his hand. He pulled out the offending wood with one quick pull, and threw the stake to the ground.

"I'm done with you. It's time to put you out like a dog," Brian screamed as he reached into the waistband of his pants, pulling out a firearm. He raised the gun in Tara's direction, turning off the safety and cocking it, ready to fire. Tara stood her ground, daring him to take a shot.

They were both so engrossed with the battle between them, that they didn't notice that Daryl had finally opened the metal cage. Daryl and Rick were able to overpower the guards at their cage, quickly taking their weapons. Both men shot and killed other soldiers until they were able to secure weapons for all their group.

The crowd realized what was going on, and started to panic. They left their seats, running as fast as they could away from the scene before the strangers killed them. The bonfire caught some of the spectator seats into its flames as the fire spread to a nearby building.

The Governor realized that something wasn't right as he took a quick glance at the catastrophe around him, seeing his seemingly perfect town going up in flames. His soldiers in a shoot out with the Grimes group.

Tara took this quick distraction to charge at Brian again, both of them flying onto the ground again, the gun flying from his hands. Tara scanned the area, looking for the firearm, seeing that it was a few feet away from them. She quickly gave Brian a few punches in his face, his mouth bleeding profusely onto his chin and shirt.

Tara got up to retrieve the gun, but the Governor pounced on her. They rolled around on the floor, each trying to get the upper advantage. Finally, Brian managed to wrestle Tara underneath him, giving her punch after punch. He smirked as he realized that he had busted her lip, and caused her nose to bleed. He was pretty sure she would have a black eye also. As he raised his fist, for another punch, Tara kicked him off of her.

She looked around, trying to spot any kind of weapon. Tara could hear the roaring flames and gunshots all around her, hoping her friends were the ones winning the war. Finally, Tara spotted the baseball bat, lying forgotten by a few walker corpses. She ran to it, grabbing it, her adrenaline going through the roof.

Tara walked over to Brian who was still on the ground, trying to get up. He was clutching his side, where blood soaked his shirt and fell to the ground into a small puddle beneath him. Tara brought the bat down onto his back, forcing him to down. She brought it down again, hearing a few cracks come from his back.

Brian turned over, looking her in the eyes. Tara brought the bat down on his ribs a few times as he yelled in pain. When she was sure that he wouldn't get up, she searched for the sword. Spotting it a few feet away, Tara bent down and picked it up, swinging it in the air a few times to test it out.

"You caused so much pain to Maggie, to her family, to my family. I wish I had time to torture you because anything less than torture is mercy for you. I hope you rot in hell you fuckin' piece of shit," Tara glared into Brian's eyes one last time, as blood seeped out of his mouth.

Tara raised the sword, bringing it down in one swift motion as the blade decapitated the Governor. She felt Brian's hot blood hit her face and arms as his head rolled off his body. Tara realized that he would never terrorize Maggie ever again and she felt a sense of relief.

Disorientation finally took over Tara's senses as she looked around. She felt blood run down her face, maybe Brian had hit her harder than she thought. She could vaguely make out fire in the distance and could hear gunshots, screams of panic. Tara fell to her knees, her body refusing to move anymore. She tried to keep her eyes open, knowing that she wasn't out of danger but it was no use. Darkness overtook her body as she passed out from all the pain, hoping that Maggie had made it out somehow.

* * *

Daryl shot every foot soldier he came upon, grabbing as many weapons as he could carry. So far his friends had been able to easily dispatch many of the soldiers. He was relieved to see that Maggie was with Carol and Rosita, shooting as many of the enemy as she could.

The town was on fire by then, flames reaching into the night sky. Daryl knew they needed to get out of this hellhole before all the exits were blocked by fire. He grabbed Rick's arm, stopping him so he could tell him the plan.

"We need to get the hell out of here before we get trapped. This place has a wood fence all over, we need to head to the gate. You lead the others over there. I'm gonna look for Tara," Daryl told Rick as the leader nodded his head in approval.

"Make it quick! This place is burning up at a fast rate. Be quick! Remember, if it's a lost cause come back out. Tara wouldn't want you to die also," Rick forced the last part out, knowing it would be hard for Daryl to leave Tara behind. Hell, Rick knew it would take everything in himself to leave Tara behind, but he knew she would want everyone to get out safely.

Daryl gave him a quick nod before taking off in the opposite direction. He could faintly hear Maggie asking where Tara was. He hoped he would have some good news for her when he returned.

Daryl ran through the fiery town, gun ready to shoot at anyone who stood in his way. He frantically looked up and down streets on the way to the pit just in case Tara had managed to get away from the Governor. When he had opened the cage, Daryl wanted to help Tara but they were overrun with soldiers and kept getting pushed farther into the town. Plus, he and Rick barged through almost every door in town looking for Judith. They finally found her in a home that had been abandoned at the first sign of trouble.

Daryl ran as fast as he could, jumping over deceased bodies, some of them starting to turn already. Smoke filled his nostrils as everything around him burned without abandoned, the fire's flames cackling loudly in his ears.

Finally, Daryl made it to the pit and jumped in, his breath stopping in his chest. There he saw both bodies of the Governor and Tara lying in the middle of the pit. Daryl immediately ran to Tara's body, dropping to his knees with tears in his eyes. He looked over briefly at the Governor's decapitated body, feeling a sense of pride that Tara had managed to finally kill the man who had escaped their grasp so many times.

Any good feelings immediately left Daryl's flesh as he looked down at Tara's battered body. He tried to find a pulse, anything to tell him that she was still alive. He could see that she had busted her head pretty good in the fight, blood pooling on the ground beneath her, and who knew how much smoke she had inhaled.

"Come on, Tara. You gotta stay with me. You gotta fight for Maggie and the baby. Come on," Daryl whispered as he failed to find a pulse.

"Come on! You can't die like this!" Daryl pleaded as he decided to perform CPR on Tara. He opened her mouth, breathing some air into her lungs before pushing up and down on her chest a few times. Daryl repeated the process, not wanting to give up as precious seconds sped by him.

"Come on, Tara! You can't pull this shit! Maggie's waitin' for ya. I can't lose you too," Daryl yelled as he continued his hopeless attempts at CPR. He tried again for another minute before he decided it was hopeless. Tara was gone.

Daryl sat next to her for a few seconds, before realizing he needed to go. He looked at Tara's body, taking off her wedding ring, and putting it in his pocket. He figured that Maggie would want that from Tara. His heart fell when he realized that Maggie was waiting for Tara, and she wouldn't be coming back with him.

"I love you. You were the best friend I ever had and our bond will never be broken. I promise to take care of Maggie and I promise that I'll help make sure your kid grows up into a person that you would be proud of. I'll see you again one day..." Daryl wiped his tears away from his eyes as he placed a quick kiss on Tara's forehead.

Daryl stood up, sobbing as he looked down at Tara's body. He knew he needed to get out of that fiery death hole but he couldn't move his legs. He didn't want to believe that she was really gone. Never would Daryl hear one of her stupid jokes or see one of her goofy smiles.

Daryl fell to his knees as tears ran down his face. He decided that he couldn't give up so easily on his best friend. Daryl continued to do more CPR on Tara's weak body, promising that he would give her two more minutes before he left for good.

Daryl felt his heart drop as the two minute marker neared, knowing he would have to quit being delusional and face the fact that Tara was dead. Just as he was in the middle of the last round of CPR, he felt coughing come from Tara's chest as she sat up quickly, trying to breathe.

Daryl could barely contain his excitement as Tara looked at him briefly. "Daryl? Is Maggie ok?" she questioned as she roughly gripped his shirt. She felt like she was going to pass out again but she needed to know that Maggie was alright.

"She's fine. She's safe and so is the baby," Daryl watched as Tara seemed satisfied with that answer before she fainted into oblivion again.

He quickly checked her pulse, this time feeling a weak beat against his fingers. Daryl couldn't contain the smile on his face as he scooped up Tara's body in his arms. He was so happy that she now had a fighting chance. Now, he just needed to get them out of this hellhole.

Daryl ran as fast as he could from the way he came, the path to the exit etched in his memory. He dodged sprawled out bodies and walkers as he ran, not stopping to think about anything. Daryl could feel Tara's blood seep onto his shirt and onto his skin. He suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu to when she had been shot on the road during that shoot out.

Finally, Daryl saw the exit, the gates were open and looked deserted. He figured almost everyone in the town had been killed, eaten by walkers, or ran away. Daryl let himself relax some as he ran past the gates and into the surrounding woods. He glanced briefly at the ground, looking for any tracks in the moonlight that would lead to his friends.

Suddenly, Daryl felt someone grab his shoulder, quickly calming down when he realized that it was Rick. Daryl let his eyes adjust to the total darkness surrounding them in the woods. He realized that only Carol and Rick were there with him.

"Where's everyone else?" Daryl questioned, not seeing the rest of his group.

"Abraham saw the roof of a cabin in the distance. They went to check it out, and keep Maggie busy since she is worryin' about Tara. Shit...she doesn't look good," Rick could see the bruises and blood on Tara's face in the moonlight.

"Yeah, she was practically dead when I found her. I did CPR on her, and she's pulling through. I don't know what we will do since we lost all of our supplies," Daryl said as Carol gasped at the news that Tara had been dead on arrival.

"Come on! Maybe the cabin has some stuff. We need to stop that bleedin'!" Rick took off running, leading the way for Daryl and Carol. They ran for about five miles before coming to a medium-sized wooden cabin surrounded by trees on each side. Abraham was standing outside, guarding the door. He practically threw his weapon to the ground when he saw the condition that Tara was in. The redhead immediately opened the door and ushered the others in.

Daryl stepped onto a wooden floor of a room that served as the living room. Rosita and Sasha had been able to start a fire with some logs that had been left from the previous occupants. Everyone turned to look at Daryl who held Tara's frail body in his arms. Maggie gasped as she ran to Daryl, not wanting to believe that Tara was in the condition that she was in.

Daryl gently laid Tara's body on the couch, making sure her head was on a pillow. Carol took a look at the injuries that Tara suffered as the others looked on. Her head had been busted open and was gushing an alarming amount of blood. Rosita made a tourniquet from a rag she had found in the kitchen of the cabin. That would have to do until they found something to stitch up the wound, if they could.

Tara's lip had been busted, and her nose was gushing blood also. Carol didn't think it was broken though. Also, Tara had the beginnings of a black eye, and an assortment of bruises on her face. The stitches on her side had been busted open, and would have to be restitched if they could find the supplies. On her other side, there were huge bruises where she had been hit with the baseball bat. Carol thought maybe a few ribs had been broken or fractured.

Finally, they noticed a huge gash on Tara's arm where Brian had struck her with the sword. Michonne and Rosita searched the cabin, looking for any kind of medical supplies or first aid kits. Maggie didn't leave Tara's side for one second. She only wanted Tara to wake up and make everything right in the world again.

"She killed that prick. Decapitated him," Daryl told the others as they waited for Michonne and Rosita.

"Tara put up one hell of a fight. I'm sure she'll pull through this. Nothin' can bring this girl down. Seems like she's indestructible," Rick tried to comfort Maggie who had been quiet. He watched as Maggie held tight onto Tara's hand, not wanting to let go for a second.

"She has a pretty bad head injury. Who knows when she'll wake up...if she does," Maggie said sadly as she cried a fresh wave of tears.

"Hey...don't think like that. We'll stay here as long as we need to 'til she wakes up. I refuse to believe she went through all that only to die," Rick tried to get everyone to believe that Tara would wake up soon.

Michonne and Rosita came back a few minutes later with a small first aid kit and some wet rags. The fire in the fireplace cast a serene, orange shadow on the group as they watched Maggie and Rosita clean the blood off of Tara's face and slowly stitch up all the wounds that she suffered.

Maggie carefully stitched up the head wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. She was sure Tara needed some kind of surgery but they didn't have the tools or the knowledge to do anything that advanced. Maggie could only hope that the stitches would be enough, that Tara would wake up soon and be her old, goofy self.

"Shouldn't we make sure that she doesn't have a brain bleed or something like that?" Rosita asked.

"How are we gonna do that? None of us are experienced in somethin' like that. I never even seen my dad do somethin' like that on an animal. I wouldn't know where to begin," Maggie knew Rosita was probably right but she wasn't about to experiment on Tara's head.

"I've seen it done a few times on _Grey's Anatomy_," Rosita simply stated as Maggie trt of ied to remember episodes she had seen. Abraham chuckled knowing Tara would get a kick out of this. They were contemplating performing a major brain surgery based on what they had seen on a television show.

"No offense, Rosita, but this ain't no goddamn drama filled tv show. Let's just leave her alone. If she still ain't up in a couple of days, we can weigh our options," Daryl protectively said as he placed a blanket on Tara's body. The others nodded in agreement, hoping no type of surgery would be needed.

"Hopefully, she doesn't suffer any memory loss. Severe head injuries like that can cause that," Sasha offhandedly commented as everyone thought about the possibility. Maggie didn't even want to fathom Tara waking up and not knowing who she was or what they shared together.

Rick watched on as he held a sleeping Judith protectively in his arms. He finally decided that the group should try to get some kind of sleep since it was late into the night. Maggie stayed in the chair by the couch, her hand feeling Tara's heartbeat.

"I'll take the first watch over Tara," Maggie declared as no one argued with her. Everyone took a spot on the floor to try to get some restless sleep.

"I'll take the next one after ya. Just need a few hours of sleep," Daryl said as Maggie nodded in agreement.

Soon everyone else had fallen asleep as soft snores and relaxed breathing filled the room. Maggie gently pushed some hair out of Tara's face, before leaning down to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"You need to wake up soon. I need you and the baby needs you also. I can't do this without you," Maggie choked out a sob, trying not to be too loud. She didn't want to wake up anybody. She just needed time to herself right now.

"You're always hurtin' yourself or gettin' yourself into trouble. You need to stop that cuz I don't know how much more I can take," Maggie smiled despite the hurt her heart was experiencing.

Maggie remembered how even when they were just friends, it always seemed like Tara was always getting herself into situations. A small smile crossed her face when she remembered the time Tara had come back to camp covered in paint. Glenn and Rosita laughing as they described how poor Tara had tripped over herself and had fallen into a paint display at the local hardware store. Maggie had given Tara a lecture on being more careful to which Tara playfully rolled her eyes at before giving Maggie a smile that she was a sucker for.

Maggie smiled at that memory that seemed so long ago, her heart feeling a pang of sadness over the thought of Glenn. She definitely couldn't lose Tara also, she had almost given up on love until Tara showed her everything she could have.

She traced the tattoos on Tara's arm, letting her mind drift away to how those arms felt around her. The emotions that Tara always made her feel during those passionate nights they spent together...

* * *

_Maggie laughed as she locked the door to the bedroom that her and Tara had managed to sneak into. Everyone else was still downstairs in the house they were staying at, doing whatever to keep themselves occupied. Maggie was sure she had found a fun way to pass the time._

_Maggie looked at Tara, feeling nothing but love for her. Maggie briefly glanced down at the wedding and engagement ring that Tara had just given to her last night. She couldn't believe that they were essentially married with a baby on the way. Maggie felt like her life was finally complete._

_She watched as Tara lit up a couple of candles in the room so they could have some light in the darkness that enveloped them, giving the room a romantic feel to it._

_Almost immediately Tara's eyes locked on Maggie, and she held her gaze as she walked to her. Maggie continued to hold Tara's gaze as she leaned over to embrace her. Maggie fell into Tara's strong arms, her body relaxing. She could feel how excited Tara was already, her erection straining against her jeans._

_They stood embraced like two lost lovers, who had found their way back to each other. Tara took Maggie's chin with her hand, raised her head, and guided their lips into a soft kiss. Maggie felt a warmth spread throughout her body as she returned the kiss._

_Their breathing deep, heavy and their desperate kisses are the only sounds they hear. Tongues tangling in a dance of need and want, they both softly moan in each other's mouth. Breaking apart before they can get any more heated, Tara lifted Maggie up as Maggie wrapped her legs around Tara's waist._

_Tara carried her the short distance to a small couch in the room, and sat down with Maggie on her lap. Maggie's hands come up to unbutton Tara's plaid shirt, her mouth dropping to kiss Tara's neck. Maggie pulled Tara's shirt off, and ran her hands along the soft skin._

_Moving back to gain a little more room, Maggie leaned over and planted a kiss on Tara's collarbone. Maggie drew her tongue along Tara's flesh, tasting the skin that she had become addicted to._

_A small moan escaped Tara's lips, as Maggie's tongue danced across her skin. Tara needed to feel Maggie's skin against hers, as she reached over and swiftly removed the shirt. Tara then reached her hands around and unfastened the bra in her way, letting it fall to the floor._

_Tara looked at Maggie's bare breasts and felt her cock stir in her jeans. Reaching her hand out, Tara took one of Maggie's supple breasts in her hands, and softly squeezed it. Tara cupped Maggie's breasts with her hand, and used her thumb to rub her nipples, which were hardening under the soft touch._

_Tara heard Maggie take in a breath and moan as she leaned over to flick Maggie's hard nipples with her tongue. Tara sucked Maggie's right nipple into her mouth, as her left hand rubbed her other breast, and her right hand traveled down Maggie's stomach._

_Maggie felt her heat and wetness grow, as Tara's tongue and hands assaulted her body. Maggie reached her hand between them, placing one on Tara's lap, feeling her growing hardness. Tara jumped as Maggie's hand touched her and she moaned into Maggie's breasts. Maggie felt Tara's fingers running along the band of her jeans as she unbuttons and unzips Tara's pants. All of a sudden Maggie feels herself being lifted up._

_Tara carried her to the opposite side of the bedroom, and gently laid Maggie down on the bed. Tara then proceeded to unbutton Maggie's jeans, and slide them down onto the floor. Maggie laid naked before Tara, except for her panties, which were wet with her excitement. Tara hooked her fingers in Maggie's panties, and pulled them off to join her jeans on the floor._

_Tara admires Maggie's beautiful body before her. She leans in and smells Maggie's arousal which drives her wild with desire. Tara uses her tongue to caress Maggie's inner thighs, feeling her move beneath her. Tara lightly flicked her tongue against Maggie's excited clit. Using her tongue, she presses against Maggie's wet pussy, savoring the taste that invades her senses._

_Tara smiled to herself as she heard Maggie's moans of pleasure, her fingers tighten in Tara's hair. Tara brings her tongue up to flick Maggie's clit as Maggie rocks her body against Tara's mouth. Tara slid her tongue down, slowly entering Maggie with her tongue. Maggie's body goes crazy with desire as her muscles clamp down around Tara's tongue. The grip on Tara's hair tightens as Maggie feels waves of pleasure invade her heated body, wetness gushing into Tara's waiting mouth._

_"Oh fuck...Tara..." Maggie whimpered in ecstasy as she felt Tara's tongue lapping up all her juices._

_Maggie moaned loudly, body tense as Tara's tongue worked wonders on her wet pussy. Maggie whimpered for Tara to stop long enough to remove the rest of her clothes, and to let Maggie pleasure her also. Maggie calms herself a little while watching Tara remove her jeans and boxers._

_Maggie can see that Tara is fully erect by now, all nine inches of her cock standing at full attention. Maggie leaned in for a kiss before they get started again, tasting herself on Tara's lips when they kiss deeply._

_Maggie gently pushed Tara back on the bed as she positioned herself on top of her. Tara suddenly realized that Maggie is getting them set up for a 69 position and she feels her cock harden even more. Maggie slowly lowers her pussy into Tara's face as Tara eagerly licks up her wetness._

_Maggie reached down and stroked Tara's hardness, slowly and tenderly. She feels Tara moan on her clit while Tara's tongue brings out more juice, sending trembles throughout her body. Maggie leans down, licking the head of Tara's cock, tasting her pre-cum. Maggie takes Tara fully into her mouth, using her tongue to massage the throbbing cock._

_She moans around Tara's dick as Tara's tongue enters her wet pussy once more, darting in and out, slightly curled, tickling her inner regions. As her pussy muscles clamp down on Tara's tongue, Maggie's mouth slides Tara's hardness in and out, one hand massaging her balls, the other holding onto the base of Tara's cock._

_Tara feels Maggie's juices pour out over her tongue as she greedily laps up every drop. Maggie's mouth continues to work wonders on her hard cock. Tara can barely maintain control as she feels Maggie's mouth squeeze her over and over, while sliding up and down, making sure her cock is coated with saliva. Tara can feel herself ready to burst, but wants Maggie to cum with her._

_Tara withdraws her tongue slowly, licking up more of Maggie's juices, as her mouth finds Maggie's eager clit. Tara takes her clit with her lips and sucks it in, feeling Maggie's body start to writhe over her. Tara feels Maggie moan around her, the vibrations causing a pleasure inducing sensation, and Tara knows she's ready to explode._

_Wanting to bring Maggie to the edge again, Tara alternates flicking Maggie's clit with her tongue and sucking it between her lips until she hears Maggie scream in an orgasm. That sends Tara over and she cums strong in Maggie's mouth, feeling her cock empty a stream of hot cum that Maggie eagerly swallows, making sure she gets every drop._

_Tara gently pushed Maggie off of her, feeling her shudder in pleasure from her orgasm. Tara comes up to Maggie, taking her lips into a deep passionate kiss. As Tara gently positioned herself on top of her, Maggie can feel Tara's still hard member between them. Maggie can't contain the moan that escapes her lips as she uses her hand to guide Tara inside of her._

_Maggie shudders in ecstasy as Tara enters her, inch by inch she feels Tara possess her in all the ways she wanted. Maggie raises her hips to meet Tara, and bring her in deep, needing to have all of her. Tara buried herself deep inside of Maggie before slowly withdrawing until just the tip remained, plunging back deep into Maggie's tight pussy._

_Maggie brought her hands up to take Tara into a deep kiss, wrapping her legs around Tara's waist as they found their rhythm. Slowly, they come together and then back apart, their tongues playing as their needs grow._

_Tara's thrusting increased in speed as her need for Maggie grew. Maggie moaned into Tara's mouth as she entered her over and over. Tara broke the kiss as she leaned down to suck Maggie's breasts, listening to the moans grow louder. Tara could feel Maggie's muscles tighten around her cock as she pushed in and out, heading towards the edge, the headboard hitting the wall with every thrust._

_Tara picked up her pace, her cock touching the walls of Maggie's pussy with each thrust. Maggie's muscles contracted around Tara's cock, as Tara held back just a little longer, for Maggie._

_"Oh god...Tara!" Maggie screamed out in pleasure, her nails scratching Tara on the back as ripples of bliss invaded her body._

_Tara feels Maggie cum on her cock, her moans loud, her body shaking uncontrollably around her. Finally, Tara lets herself feel the release that has been begging to be freed. Tara feels her cock burst inside of Maggie, shooting her seed deep inside of her._

_Maggie feels Tara cum inside of her, and has another intense orgasm, feeling their juices mixing inside. Tara collapsed on top of Maggie, as her muscles milk every drop out of Tara._

_Maggie can't help but think about how hot Tara looks covered in sweat, especially sweat from hard work._

_After a few minutes, Tara rolled off of Maggie as they both tried to catch their breath. Maggie snuggled up to Tara's body, feeling strong arms around her, holding her tight._

_"I love you so much," Maggie whispered against Tara's skin._

_"I love you too, baby. Those rings are a symbol of my love for you, and only you," Tara promised as Maggie leaned up to give her a soft kiss._

_Maggie yawned lazily as she curled up to Tara, falling asleep with a smile on her face. Tara kissed Maggie's head, before succumbing to sleep, holding her love tight. Both dreaming of each other, and the exciting future that laid ahead of them as newlyweds and future parents._

* * *

Maggie was awaken from her dreaming thoughts by someone gently shaking her shoulder. Maggie opened her eyes to see Daryl in front of her. She hoped her face didn't look as flushed as her body felt after the daydream she had experienced.

"You should get some sleep. I'll watch over her now," Daryl said as Maggie slowly got up to get some kind of rest.

Daryl watched as Maggie gave Tara a kiss on the forehead, her hand feeling the heartbeat that indicated that her love was still alive.

"You know when I found her, she was pretty much dead," Daryl revealed as he felt some tears start to build. Maggie looked at him shocked by the news. She didn't know Tara had been found in such bad condition.

"No pulse. No breathing. No nothing. So I did CPR for God knows how long 'til I realized it was hopeless...she was gone," Daryl paused as Maggie felt tears roll down her face at the thought of Tara being gone for good.

"I took off her wedding ring cuz I figured you would want it. Then I was getting ready to leave but I had to try one last time, and Tara came through. I was so scared that I had lost her. I didn't know what I was going to tell you, but here this is yours," Daryl reached into his pocket, pulling out Tara's wedding ring.

"Tara'll pull through this. I know she will," Daryl said with confidence as he looked over his best friend.

"Thank you for not giving up," Maggie simply said as she leaned down to place a quick kiss on Daryl's hair before heading to a spot to sleep in.

Maggie laid down on the hard floor missing Tara's presence. She felt the tears really start to come down as she realized that Tara had actually been dead that night, and if not for Daryl she would have been gone for good. Maggie cried for hours into the night, just wanting Tara back but knowing she might not get her wish.

Maggie cried for Tara. She cried for Tara's unknown status. She cried not knowing if Tara would wake up. She cried for their baby, who might still lose a parent. She cried for everything Tara might miss out on. She cried knowing Tara had been dead for who knew how long. Finally, Maggie cried herself to sleep, clutching the plaid shirt she was wearing tight around her, Tara's wedding ring firmly in her hand.

Maggie could only hope that Tara would wake up soon and she would be back in Tara's strong, protective arms again, and her life would be complete once more.

* * *

Wow...so that was intense. So is Tara going to wake up? Do you guys think I'm evil/sadistic enough to not let her wake up? Will she have memory loss? We will see...

But thank you once again for all your lovely reviews. I love all you guys and if I could hug and kiss you all, I totally would! :D you guys seriously flatter me with your reviews..I wish there was more that I could do to thank you all. Thanks for sticking with me throughout this story. :) special thanks to the anon reviewer who said update days are their fave of the week. You totally rock my world lol.

The chapter's song is "Feel It In My Bones" by Tiësto (feat. Tegan and Sara) because seriously I would love to have a fight with this song playing in the background. That way I can throw punches to the tune of the song and taunt my opponent with my awesome dance/fight moves. Mostly dance moves...cuz I can't fight for the life of me lol.


	19. I Miss You

Maggie woke up the next day feeling like she hadn't slept a second. Her eyes hurt from all the crying she had done the night before. She guessed Tara was still out since no one had woken her up. Maggie sat up and stretched her arms, feeling some soreness settle into her body.

Maggie was surprised that she didn't have morning sickness yet. Usually, when she woke up, she was hit with a wave of nausea. She felt a little saddened knowing that Tara wouldn't be there to help her when the sickness did hit her.

She got off the hard floor and walked over to the couch where Tara's body laid. Rosita was sitting in the chair, keeping watch over her. Maggie realized that everyone else was doing mediocre tasks to keep themselves occupied.

"How's she doin'?" Maggie asked Rosita as she leaned down to place a small kiss on Tara's forehead. Maggie was grateful to see that she was still breathing. At least Tara had that going for her so far.

"Same as last night. Hasn't moved at all. Just lyin' there like in a coma," Rosita informed the other woman standing beside her.

Maggie just sighed sadly, saying a silent prayer that Tara would wake up soon and be her old self. Maggie pulled up a chair from the dining room and sat down by the couch. The two women sat in silence for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts.

"What Sasha said last night scares me. What if she wakes up and doesn't remember who I am?" Maggie worried as she felt her hormones start to kick in, her eyes starting to water. Maggie didn't think she had any tears left to cry, but obviously she was wrong.

"Hey, it'll be ok. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, let's just focus on Tara waking up," Rosita tried to soothe Maggie as best as she could, trying to be as positive as she could be.

"What if she wakes up and all she remembers is an ex-girlfriend like Alisha or something? What if Tara doesn't love me when she wakes up?" Maggie couldn't imagine how much hurt that would cause her heart. She didn't think she could handle that scenario coming true.

"Don't think like that. If Tara doesn't remember then we will help her get her memory back. You know we won't let your baby grow up without two parents around," Rosita promised as Maggie wiped a few stray tears away.

"Why don't you sit with her for a little while. It might help if she hears your voice. I'll send Daryl in a little bit to take the next round cuz you still need some fresh air and to eat. You have the baby to think about also," Rosita stood up and offered the comfy chair to Maggie who gladly accepted.

Rosita leaned down giving a Maggie a quick peck on the head before doing the same to Tara.

"Hurry up and wake up, you big goofball. Everyone already misses you," Rosita said to Tara before she went outside to see what Abraham and Eugene were up to.

Maggie looked at Tara, who looked so weak and beat up. She wasn't used to Tara in this state and it hurt her heart. She was used to Tara being the strong one and the protector.

She reached over, gently pushing a few stray hairs out of Tara's face. Her fingertips lightly touched the bruises that had formed, wincing at how horrible they looked. Maggie silently cursed the Governor for hurting Tara so badly.

Maggie was so engrossed with Tara that she didn't notice the presence behind her until she heard a male voice, jumping slightly at the intrusion.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to scare you. I have faith that Tara will wake up soon. I didn't know her well, but I know she's a fighter and she has the will to live. I have been praying for her," Father Gabriel told Maggie as he looked at the body on the couch.

"Thank you, Father," Maggie simply said.

"If you ever need to talk or pray, you can always count on me. The Lord is always on your side," Gabriel gave Maggie's shoulder a soft squeeze before he went outside to read his Bible.

Maggie sat in silence, the clock ticking on the wall was the only noise that could be heard. She took Tara's hand into her own, feeling the soft skin.

"The baby has been doin' good today so far. No mornin' sickness today...yet," Maggie let herself smile a bit as she placed her hand on her stomach.

"But you need to wake up soon. I miss you so much and you're right here but you're not. I don't know how much longer I can take this. I'm just scared that you won't wake up," Maggie ran her hand through Tara's hair, wishing she would just open her eyes already. She prepared herself for what she had to say next.

"If you think it's your time, it's ok to go, Tara. The baby and I will be fine. We'll miss you but we'll be ok after a lot of time passes. But if it's not your time, I need you to fight your way back to us. I really don't want to do this alone. I need you...I love you," Maggie allowed herself to cry as Tara's body still refused to wake up.

Maggie cried to herself for the next couple of hours or so until she realized how famished she was. She wondered if Rick, Daryl, and Michonne had managed to find anything in the nearby town. They had found some canned food items in the cabinets of the cabin's kitchen but nothing to sustain them all for a long period of time.

As if on cue, Daryl and Rick walked into the cabin. Maggie quickly dried up her tears as Rick handed her a book.

"Michonne and I found a bookstore and she thought you would like to read this," Rick said as Maggie read the cover of _What to Expect When You're Expecting_. She was touched that her friends went through all that trouble for her.

"I also got a couple of books for Tara to read about the father's side of things," Rick put the books he had found on the coffee table.

"Thank you so much," Maggie said in appreciation as she took a look at the books. She knew Tara would love to read them. Tara had told her on numerous occasions that she had no idea what to do when the baby arrived and she had those first time parent jitters.

"How long have you been sittin' here?" Daryl asked Maggie with some concern. He knew she needed to stay healthy for the baby. Tara would kill him when she woke up if he didn't look after Maggie.

"Maybe three or four hours. I kinda lost track of time," Maggie answered as she looked at the clock, surprised to see how much time had flown by.

"You should get some fresh air and somethin' to eat. We're gonna move Tara to the bedroom so she's more comfortable. Plus, you can sleep with her at night," Daryl said as he lifted the blanket off of Tara's body.

Carefully, Daryl and Rick moved Tara's limp body to the only bedroom in the cabin, which was down a small hall. Maggie kept an eye on them to make sure they were being cautious.

"What? Ya don't think we're gonna clunk her on the head again, do ya? Last thing Tara needs is another bump on the head." Daryl noticed that Maggie was hovering over them as they carried Tara's body, placing her gently on the bed.

Maggie covered up Tara with the blanket, making sure she was tucked in and warm. The room was plain with a few pictures on the walls and a bookcase which held some books. Maggie decided she would check out the books later and see if there were any she would want to keep.

"I trust y'all, I'm just a bit overprotective right now. She almost died last night," Maggie said sadly as she glanced at the still body on the bed.

"It's alright. She'll come out of this. She has too. Tara's one of the toughest people I know," Daryl placed a comforting hand on Maggie's shoulder.

"Why don't you go out, get some fresh air and somethin' to eat. You need to take care of yourself," Rick told Maggie as she reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"I'll sit with her. Just stay out there for a couple of hours," Daryl sat down in a chair that was in the room.

"Ok...let me know if anything changes," Maggie made Daryl promise as she left the room.

Maggie followed Rick outside where everyone was sitting on logs or keeping themselves busy. Maggie made sure to thank Michonne for the book, telling her she was going to start reading it that night.

She then sat down next to Rosita and Carol who were focused on a medical book in front of them. "What are y'all readin'?" Maggie asked the women who were so focused on the book in front of them.

"Rick found a medical textbook at the bookstore. It has some stuff on how to kinda do surgery, just in case it's needed. Hopefully, it won't come to that but we need to be prepared just in case," Carol explained as she went back to reading the textbook.

Maggie didn't want to think about Tara having any type of surgery done on her, especially one as delicate as brain surgery. She could only hope and pray that Tara would wake up on her own eventually and make a full recovery.

Abraham walked up to the group, coming back from getting fresh water from a creek nearby. He knew he needed to express his concerns to the group. Hopefully, he wouldn't scare them too much.

"Tara'll probably not need any surgery. What we really need to worry about is when she wakes up," Abraham cut into the women's conversation.

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked, feeling her heart start to race.

"I don't mean to scare y'all but when Tara wakes up she might not be the same person. I have seen a lot of head injuries while in Iraq. They can be devastatin' and life changin'. I have seen guys change completely. Some change and then go back to their old selfs after they remember who they used to be. Some never do." Abraham realized that everyone was focused on him so he continued.

"One soldier I knew, Randy Beaufort, was the sweetest son of a bitch ever. Always laughin' and crackin' lame ass jokes whenever he could. Well, one day his platoon ran into a roadside bomb. Beaufort was thrown head first into a large fuckin' rock. He was out for a few days and then he woke up.

Randy woke up a new man. Totally different personality. He was quick to anger, very violent, and there was no trace of old Randy anywhere in his mind. He went back stateside and started to abuse his wife and kids. They got a divorce and Randy ended up killing himself because he couldn't be the man he used to be," Abraham let the story sink in for everyone else. They were all silent, not knowing what to say.

"That is a bit extreme, I will admit but what I'm sayin' is Tara might be different when she wakes up and we need to be prepared. Tara is strong enough to take on any of us guys. She might hurt Maggie even if she doesn't mean to. Especially if when she wakes up she is quick to anger. And if she does hurt Maggie then I will be sure to let her know we don't put up with that shit around here," Abraham knew no one wanted to think of the possibility of that happening but he needed them to be realistic about the situation.

"Let's not count our chickens before they hatch. We just need to focus on her wakin' up right now," Rick tried to ease everyone's worry, but could see he wasn't doing a good job.

"I'm just sayin'...we need to be prepared for anything. Who knows how she'll be when she wakes up? She might not remember us. She might want to kill us. We need to be ready," Abraham argued with Rick.

Rick thought it over in his head and knew that Abraham was probably right. Of course, he was hoping for a different outcome but luck didn't seem to be on their side lately.

"Ok...everyone make sure y'all have some kind of weapon on ya'll when you're in the room with Tara. It's just a precaution since we don't know what her mindset will be," Rick ordered everyone as they nodded in agreement.

"I'll be sure to let Daryl know the deal when he gets out here. He won't like it but it's for everyone's safety," Abraham said as he took a long drink of water.

Maggie tried to blink away the tears that threatened to fall out. Not only did she have to worry about Tara not waking up but now she had to add possible amnesia and possible personality change to the growing list. Maggie just wanted Tara to wake up and hold her again, was that really too much to ask?

Maggie walked away from the group, needing to be by herself for a few minutes. She sat against a tree, looking at all the wilderness around her, feeling its serene tranquillity calm her down.

For the first time in many months, Maggie bowed her head and prayed as hard as she could. Her father always had faith in God when things looked bleak and uncertain. Right now, she needed all the help she could get. Maggie prayed that Tara would wake up and make a full recovery. She could only hope that her prayers would come true.

* * *

Daryl sat in the chair in Tara's temporary room, keeping a close eye on his best friend. He made sure that she was still breathing before relaxing into the armchair across the room from the bed.

"Man, you need to quit makin' us all worry and wake up already. Maggie's been through enough already, and the extra stress ain't healthy for your kid, ya know," Daryl talked to his friend, hoping his voice would help bring her back to their family.

"Plus, when you wake up I'm gonna give ya an ass kickin' for makin' me worry so goddamn much and I hate to admit this but I miss your stupid jokes," Daryl laughed to himself, remembering Tara's sense of humor.

"And I need my wingman back. Earlier today, I went on a quick run into town with Rick and Michonne. Now you know I love them both to death but it wasn't the same. We didn't have that rhythm that you and I have so you need to hurry up and wake up so we can go on our adventures again," he kept on talking to Tara, hoping that she could somehow hear him.

"But Maggie is the one who really needs you. She is tryin' to stay strong but everyone can see how fragile she is right now. You need to wake up for her and the baby. Remember...if it's a girl we're gonna make sure she don't date until she's thirty," Daryl allowed himself to smile as he remembered the conversations he and Tara had about the baby.

"You and Maggie sure have come a long way. I remember when I had to tell you to grow some balls and tell her how you felt. Of course, you didn't listen like always...stubborn ass," Daryl chuckled as he remembered that day. He allowed himself to go back to happier times when Tara was alive and well...

* * *

_The family had been driving for miles in their rickety old bus that seemed like it was on its last leg. Finally, Rick spotted an abandoned barn that they could stay in for the night. He was glad they found some kind of shelter since there were some angry looking clouds on the horizon.  
_

_"We'll stay here for the night and ride out this storm," Rick announced to his group as everyone started to get off the bus._

_Tara immediately helped Maggie off the bus before going with Daryl to check out the barn to make sure no walkers were around. Daryl banged on the door wanting to draw out any walkers trapped in the barn to the front. They heard the rattle of teeth and moans of the undead coming from within._

_Daryl opened the door as two walkers came straggling out. Tara immediately took her knife and plunged it into one of the walker's head as Michonne took care of the other one. Cautiously, everyone walked into the barn, being sure to check every corner and shadow for any stray people or biters. Satisfied that no more creatures were stirring about, the family decided to settle in for the night._

_Tara carried Maggie's bag into the barn, not allowing her to carry anything. Maggie just smiled at Tara's chivalry, thinking how cute she was. It had been a few months since Glenn's death and Tara had been a big help in Maggie's grieving process. Maggie wasn't sure what she would have done without Tara being constantly by her side._

_Rick started the beginnings of a fire as Daryl announced that he and Tara would do a perimeter check to make sure there weren't any other people around. Daryl watched as Tara said goodbye to Maggie with a hug that lasted longer than just a friendly one. Finally, Tara was ready to go after reluctantly letting go of Maggie._

_Daryl and Tara walked around the woods surrounding the barn, keeping an eye on the mean clouds above them. The only sound was the twigs and leaves snapping underneath their boots, and an occasional bird call. The wind started to slowly pick up as the storm started to get closer to their location._

_"We should head back. That storm looks meaner than a junkyard dog and not somethin' we want to be stuck in," Daryl said as Tara nodded in agreement. They walked in more comfortable silence._

_"So when are ya gonna tell her?" Daryl smiled as Tara looked at him with a confused look on her face._

_"Tell who what?" Tara started to feel her heart rate pick up._

_"Don't play dumb. I know you have the hots for Maggie. Hell, everyone in the group knows. We all have a bet going on to see how long it'll take you to grow a pair and tell her," Daryl laughed as Tara just gave him a surprised look._

_"Is it really that obvious?" Tara asked her friend as he simply nodded his head. Tara looked embarrassed as she looked at the ground._

_"Yeah, it is. You pay special attention to her, it's kinda cute in a way. Kinda like a love struck puppy...that's what you look like," Daryl laughed._

_"Wow...thanks. I look like a puppy. That just makes me sound so tough and bad ass," Tara sarcastically said, which made Daryl laugh even more._

_"Well, can't deny the truth, especially when you get this look on your face. But seriously, you should just tell her already. Nothin' is holdin' you back. It's been a few months since Glenn's death and I bet he would be all for this, wherever he's at. Everyone knows there ain't no one better for Maggie than you," Daryl threw his arms around Tara giving her a brotherly hug of encouragement._

_"I know it's hard cuz she was your best friend's wife but as your current best friend, I'm tellin' you to go for it. Plus, Carol thinks Maggie might like you also. Y'all are just scared to make the first move," Daryl informed Tara as she gave him another look of surprise._

_"What are y'all tryin' to do? Hook us up?" Tara questioned, a bit touched that her friends were trying to help her out._

_"Well...yeah. You're perfect for Maggie. You'll treat her right and if you don't then you'll have all of us to answer to," Daryl gave Tara a playful stern look._

_"That's comforting to know, but I would never hurt Maggie in any way," Tara got a daydreaming smile on her face at the thought of her object of affection._

_"See? You need to grow some balls and tell her already. I'm tired of watching you be all googly eyed over her," Daryl joked as Tara just shook her head in response._

_"I'll think about it. I just don't want to mess up the friendship that we have. She's probably the most important person in my life," Tara responded as Daryl nodded in understanding._

_"So what you're sayin' is everything we have together has been a lie," Daryl joked as Tara laughed._

_"You're my most important bro...can't deny that. Hell, we even spooned that one time when it was freezing cold and we were still a few days away from camp," Tara laughed as she remembered their awkward sleeping arrangement._

_"Hey! We weren't ever supposed to ever bring that up cuz if the others found out then they wouldn't let us live it down," Daryl could only laugh as he remembered how they argued who would be the big spoon. In the end, Tara had won the position of big spoon._

_"I'm jus' sayin' you have a good chance with Maggie so don't wait too long," Daryl patted Tara's shoulder before dropping the subject as they started to get closer to the barn._

_That night the storm hit their area with high winds and loud thunder that shook the walls of the barn. Daryl watched as Maggie had snuggled into Tara, depending on her for comfort from the furious storm. Daryl made a motion for Tara to tell Maggie how she felt, but Tara just shook her head._

_Daryl just sighed in frustration, cursing to himself how Tara was being a stubborn ass..._

* * *

"And you still are one," Daryl told Tara, who was still passed out on the bed, "but I'm glad you guys are together now. Y'all are good together. If her old man was still around, he would have definitely approved of you for his daughter."

Daryl looked at the clock seeing that Maggie would probably be heading to the room in a few minutes.

"Well, my time here is almost done for the day since your wife is gonna come keep you company. But if you are still bein' stubborn and not gettin' up, I have a lot of memories of us that I can relay to you like the one where we picked out the engagement ring for Maggie. Or the time we want scavengin' in that department store and found the CD player and ended up singing "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Freebird" like idiots."

Daryl heard a giggle from the door, turning to see Maggie standing in the doorway.

"Y'all sang "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Freebird"? I can't believe I missed that," Maggie continued to giggle, trying to picture the scene in her mind.

"Yeah, we were bored looking throughout that big store. So doofus here decided to play some music when she found a CD player that ran on batteries. We listened to some Lynyrd Skynyrd and Johnny Cash...it was fun. Then we listened to some rap music about hoes in different area codes or somethin' like that. Tara was tryin' to be a pimp," Daryl laughed as he reminisced about that day. It stung a bit because it made him miss Tara even more. He really hoped Tara would wake up soon so he could have his best friend back.

"Yeah, that sounds like Tara. Well, y'all will have a lot more days like that knowin' you two. How has she been?" Maggie asked, hopeful for any changes in Tara's condition.

"Pretty much the same. She hasn't moved at all. Just breathin' mostly. I've been talkin' to her so hopefully that helps," Daryl stood up and stretched his tired legs as Maggie took his place in the chair.

"Thank you for watching her. Abraham needs to talk to you," Maggie knew Daryl wouldn't be too happy with what Abe had to tell him.

Daryl gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, "Wonder what Wonder Boy wants now. But take care of yourself, Maggie. Tara will wake up soon. I already threatened her if she didn't."

Maggie gave Daryl a smile of appreciation as he left the room to see what the redhead needed to speak to him about. Maggie took Tara's hand into her own, missing the connection that they had. She brushed a few stray hairs out of Tara's face before checking the stitches on Tara's body.

Maggie decided that the stitches looked good before looking at Tara's bruised ribs. She let her fingers trace the bruises, making sure not to apply too much pressure on them. Tara would definitely be feeling those when she woke up.

She heard a knock on the doorway before Rosita came in, handing Maggie an energy bar and a can of fruit.

"Dinner is served. How's she doin?" Rosita asked Maggie.

"Same...nothin' has changed," Maggie answered with a sad tone.

"Hmmm...maybe this will help," Rosita got close to Tara's ear, a mischievous smile on her face. "Oh man...it's so hot in this room. I think I'm gonna have to take off my shirt. Oh and Maggie's gonna take hers off too for the hell of it."

Maggie laughed as Rosita talked to Tara in an over exaggerated voice. "I guess that didn't work. I'm surprised she didn't get a boner though," Rosita giggled.

"Can she get a boner?" Maggie questioned as Rosita just shrugged her shoulders.

"Knowing Tara she can," Rosita said as both women started laughing.

"How is the morning sickness going?" the Latina asked with concern, knowing that it could get pretty serious for Maggie.

"It's been pretty calm today. I only had a couple of bouts of it earlier," Maggie answered, glad that the baby wasn't giving her too much trouble that day.

"Well, good thing Peanut is semi-listening today. Soon she'll be kicking and causing all kinds of trouble for you so enjoy the peace and quiet," Rosita gave Maggie a smile, knowing the other woman was enjoying the rare moment of not suffering from nausea.

"It's funny...everyone's so dead set that it's a girl. I'm gonna laugh when it turns out to be a boy," Maggie placed her hand on her stomach, feeling a protectiveness come over her.

"Well, you think it's a girl. Sometimes a mother just knows. Plus, I think it's gonna be a girl!" Rosita excitedly exclaimed. She seriously couldn't wait until the baby made its appearance so she could offer to watch her whenever Tara and Maggie needed a break.

Maggie gave her friend a smile before she yawned, suddenly feeling very tired and worn out from all the day's stressful events.

"Eat dinner and get some rest. It's getting late anyways. I'll send in the others to say goodnight to you and Tara," Rosita left the room as she went to tell the rest to hurry up and say their goodnights.

Maggie waited for the others to visit Tara before she climbed into the bed with her. She couldn't wait to be close to Tara, needing that physical connection that she had been craving all day.

Maggie, all of a sudden, heard some yelling and arguing coming from the living room area. She guessed that Abraham had told Daryl what he had told the others earlier that day and Daryl wasn't taking it very well.

"You're makin' it sound like when Tara wakes up, she'll be this abusive prick. Fuck you...she would never hurt Maggie in any way. What do you want us to do? Handcuff her? For fuck's sakes!" Daryl yelled at Abraham, feeling like his best friend's integrity was being questioned.

"You haven't seen what I've seen, motherfucker. I'm just suggestin' we take away her weapons until we know what mindset she's in and be cautious when she first wakes up. Tara is my friend too, ya know. And I love her to death but I don't want anyone to get hurt. What if she accidentally hurts Maggie. Do you really want that on your hands?" Abraham argued trying to get the stalwart man in front of him to see the reality of things.

"I'm not tryin' to attack Tara's character. We just don't know how unpredictable she will be when she wakes up. I've seen guys who are completely different when they suffer a head injury. We just don't know," Abraham added, trying to further prove his case.

"Fine. But if she gets too violent let me handle her," Daryl demanded from the soldier. This started another argument over who would be better equipped to handle Tara. Rick and Carol were trying to mediate between the two stubborn men.

Maggie tuned them out as she started to read the book that Michonne had gotten for her while waiting for the others to say their goodnights. Finally, the arguing died down as her family members started to come into the bedroom to bid their goodnights to the young couple.

Abraham made Maggie promise to keep the door opened just in case Tara woke up during the night and trouble started. Daryl, meanwhile, made her promise that if Tara showed signs of waking up that she get him first, since Abraham didn't know what he was talking about. Maggie finally was able to crawl onto the bed with Tara, taking the side that was unoccupied.

She lit up a candle with Tara's lighter, using the low light to read a couple of chapters of the baby book. Every so often, she would look at Tara's unmoving face, making sure that she was alright. After a couple of hours, Maggie decided to try to get some kind of sleep.

She snuggled up into Tara as best as she could, draping her arm over Tara's waist, holding her tight. Maggie placed her head on Tara's chest, listening to the comforting faint beating of her heart, and basking in the scent that was uniquely Tara. Both brought her a sense of serene calm as she laid there thinking about everything they had been through together.

"I love you so much. I love you more than I've ever loved or will ever love anyone. Please wake up soon...and please be yourself. I don't know if I can handle any more setbacks. All this stress isn't good for our daughter either," Maggie let the tears roll down her face, wishing Tara was there to wipe them away like she always did.

Maggie let her fingers roam the fabric of the plaid shirt Tara was wearing. Rick had found some fresh clothes in town and Rosita had helped her change Tara's shirt so now she wasn't wearing the torn up, bloody one from yesterday's ordeal.

She let her hand roam under the shirt, feeling Tara's warm skin. Maggie leaned up slightly, placing a soft kiss on Tara's lips. She looked at Tara for a few minutes, hoping that her eyes would open but nothing happened. Maggie placed her head on Tara's chest again, practically putting her whole body on Tara's.

"You need to wake up soon...I need you. I've missed you so much. You're so close but still so far away. I don't know if I can take it anymore. I just wish we could go back to our happier days," Maggie wiped her tears away, but most of them ran down onto Tara's shirt.

Maggie thought back over the good, private memories the two of them shared. She found that letting her mind wander helped her feel a little better about everything. Some of their best memories were when the group had stayed at that house for a few weeks. Maggie closed her eyes, thinking about happier times...

* * *

_"What do you think about Elizabeth if it's a girl?" Maggie asked Tara as they laid in bed together, just cuddling. That day was a relaxing day for the group since it was pouring rain outside and no one really felt like doing much. Tara, Daryl, Abraham, and Rick took a much needed break from working on the bus since the rain hindered their progress.  
_

_Everyone else was downstairs playing card games or reading books. Tara had become bored after playing poker with Rick and Daryl, saying she needed a nap. Maggie decided to join her upstairs which earned them a few jokes from Abraham. He told everyone that they would hear the bed squeaking pretty soon._

_Tara really was tired though and sex wasn't on her mind as she laid with Maggie in her arms. She had just found out about Maggie's pregnancy a couple of days ago, and she was ecstatic at the prospect of being a parent. Before Tara had never really thought kids would be for her, but with Maggie in her arms, everything felt so right._

_"Elizabeth is a nice name. Kinda a tribute to your sister?" Tara asked. She knew Maggie missed her little sister tremendously._

_"Yeah, kinda I guess," Maggie answered against Tara's shirt._

_"Well, it's a beautiful name if that's what you want to go with," Tara placed a quick kiss on Maggie's head._

_"I think I like that one. We can do whatever you want for the middle name. We could even use your middle name if you want. Elizabeth Ranae has a nice ring to it. That's what we'll be yellin' when she gets into trouble," Maggie laughed as she felt Tara chuckle against her._

_"Sounds good, babe. But if anyone asks let's just say we don't know yet. Let it be a surprise for everyone else," Tara said as Maggie nodded in agreement._

_"Deal. Any boy names you're interested in? I was thinking maybe Charles," Maggie offered up her suggestion as Tara thought it over in her head._

_"Charles is a nice, strong name. I like it," Tara decided as she felt Maggie snuggle closer to her. They laid in a comfortable silence for awhile until Tara felt Maggie giggle against her._

_"What's so funny?" Tara asked in amusement._

_"Just wonderin' how if we met before the whole apocalypse, how our relationship would be," Maggie admitted, wondering what dating Tara would have been like in a pre-apocalyptic world._

_"I would have wooed you and shown you how special you were to me. All other girl's names would have been deleted from my phone the moment I met you," Tara said as Maggie smiled._

_"How romantic you are..." Maggie laughed._

_"We would have dated for a while. Then I would have proposed to you in a really romantic way. Then you could have had the wedding of your dreams. Then we would've had the whole white-picket fence with the 2.5 kids and a dog," Tara said as Maggie felt a little sad at what they had missed out on._

_"But we might not have met back in the real world. And if it took a whole walker apocalypse for me to meet you then I would do it all over again if it meant I ended up with you," Tara said as Maggie felt her heart swell at her words._

_"You know you're a panty dropper, don't you?" Maggie said as she leaned up slightly to kiss Tara's lips._

_"So I've been told," Tara laughed as they leaned for another kiss, this one turning hot and desperate as need overtook their bodies._

_Maggie pulled her shirt off over her head and leaned over Tara, pressing their lips together. Her hands rested against Tara's chest and she felt Tara's heart speed up as she kissed her hard, their lips grinding together, teeth bumping against each other. Maggie forced her tongue into Tara's mouth and she groaned, Tara's hands sliding up Maggie's back to pull her closer._

_Maggie moved her hips against Tara, pressing her thigh between Tara's legs to feel her hard length. And then out of nowhere Tara's hands came up against Maggie's shoulders and pushed her gently away. Tara pulled back to look at Maggie, breathing heavy and staring intently into her eyes as if searching for something._

_"I need you," Maggie whispered, slipping her hands around Tara's neck. Tara grabbed her hands and pulled them away, holding them clasped between hers._

_"I know. I want you too but I kinda want to be rough and I'm trying to control myself because I don't want to hurt you or the baby," Tara admitted why she was reluctant to go further._

_Maggie smiled, "You're so cute when you are concerned 'bout us but I promise you won't hurt either of us. In fact, you'll be doin' me a favor cuz I don't want soft or gentle right now...I want you to take me."_

_Tara gulped when she heard the lust in Maggie's voice. She could feel all the self control she was holding onto leave her body. Tara could feel the carnal need take over, needing to show Maggie what she was capable of._

_"You sure?" Tara asked one last time._

_Maggie pulled away from Tara and kissed her shoulder, moving up to her neck as she pressed her body against Tara's. "You're not goin' to hurt me. I want you to fuck me, Tara. I need you to fuck me. Hard."_

_Tara trembled all over and she felt the breath leave her in a rush. Maggie tried to pull Tara's head back down to her, but still she resisted, pulling back to look into her eyes. "Please?" Maggie begged._

_It was as if Tara had been waiting for that one word, as soon as she heard it, Tara rolled onto Maggie, giving her back the rough kisses she'd given her a moment ago and more. Maggie could only hold on for the ride as Tara ravished her mouth, sending shock waves of sensation all over her body. She felt Tara's erection pulsing against her hip and moaned with desire._

_Maggie did need Tara. As much as Tara needed this release, Maggie needed to feel her moving inside her, Tara's hands on her, the taste and smell of Tara filling her senses._

_Maggie whimpered as Tara moved away, but Tara yanked Maggie's pants off, letting them fall onto the floor. Maggie watched intently as Tara discarded all of her clothes, her desire growing as she caught sight of what she wanted most. Tara was back on her in a flash, her dick hot and hard against Maggie's bare skin._

_Maggie tilted her head up to capture Tara's bottom lip in her teeth, licking and sucking on it. Tara's hands tangled in Maggie's hair, pulling slightly to angle her head back further and there was a split second pause before Tara simultaneously buried herself in Maggie's wet heat and pressed her tongue deep into Maggie's mouth. Tara swallowed Maggie's exclamation of surprise, unrelenting as she penetrated her, filling Maggie with herself._

_Tara immediately began to thrust into her and Maggie moved against Tara feverishly, trying to keep up with her frantic pounding. It quickly became apparent that Maggie couldn't so she wrapped both legs around Tara's hips and let her take complete control. Tara released her mouth to bite and suck at her neck, pulling Maggie's head back further to get more access. The hand that wasn't in her hair came up to grab her breast, squeezing the soft flesh and pinching tightly at her nipple._

_Maggie hands weren't bound, but she felt just as much at Tara's mercy as if they were. The sensations assaulting her body pushed her quickly toward climax and Maggie's first orgasm hit hard. Her whole body shook and she pulled against Tara's hold on her hair, the sharp pain shooting her up even higher into the stratosphere._

_Tara didn't slow down when she felt Maggie contract around her, if anything she sped up and pounded into her harder, only vaguely aware of Maggie's fingernails digging into her shoulders and the moans and whimpers she was making. It wasn't until Maggie came the second time and her legs clamped so tight around Tara they restricted her movement that she finally slowed, letting Maggie come down long enough to allow her legs to fall away._

_"Say it again," Tara said, her voice hoarse in Maggie's ear, her hips still rocking steadily against Maggie's. Tara hooked her hand behind Maggie's knee and pulled it up to her waist. Maggie's mind was spinning. She was a limp, incoherent puddle of pleasure and she had no idea what Tara was talking about._

_"Say it again," Tara demanded louder, thrusting hard and grinding into Maggie mercilessly._

_"Fuck me," Maggie murmured, beginning to return to her senses._

_Tara pulled Maggie's head to the side and licked all the way up her neck from her collarbone to her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "All of it," Tara growled and then snaked her tongue deep into Maggie's ear._

_"Oh god," Maggie gasped as the sensation took her breath away. "Fuck me hard. Please, Tara. Fuck me hard."_

_In one smooth motion, Tara let go of Maggie's hair and pushed her body up as she thrust deep inside Maggie. Tara pulled Maggie's leg from her waist and hooked it over her shoulder, sliding even deeper, completely robbing Maggie of breath as she pounded into her. Tara watched as Maggie writhed and shook under her; words she'd never heard Maggie use pouring out of her mouth as she begged for more. The headboard slammed against the wall with each thrust Tara delivered. Tara knew the others downstairs could probably hear all the commotion but she didn't care._

_Maggie screamed when she came, arching up off the bed and pressing against Tara, trying to take more of Tara inside her. Watching Maggie in the throes of such intense pleasure pushed Tara over the edge and she thrust one final time before exploding inside Maggie. As the tension drained from Tara's body she let Maggie's leg slip from her shoulder and collapsed on top of Maggie, cradled between her legs with Maggie's arms wrapped tightly around Tara's body._

_Several minutes later Tara smiled when she felt fingers gently playing with her hair. "I know you probably can't breathe, but I don't ever want to move from this spot." Tara turned her head to bury it in Maggie's hair and took a deep breath, absorbing her fresh scent._

_Maggie tightened her arms around Tara, holding her in place. "Breathing is overrated."_

_Tara laughed as she stayed in the position Maggie had her in. "This will be a great story to tell the kiddo. We figured out their name and then had some wild, rough sex."_

_"I don't think our kid will want to know all that," Maggie giggled as Tara placed some kisses on her neck._

_"Probably not," Tara smiled down at her. Maggie pulled Tara closer as they spent the next few minutes just savoring the feel of one another, knowing there was no where they would rather be except with each other in that sweet moment._

_Finally, after a while, the young couple decided it was time to get dressed and head downstairs. Both of them ready for the tirade of jokes that Abraham would have for them._

* * *

Maggie came out of her daydreaming thoughts as she felt someone's presence at the door. She looked up to see Rosita who had a sly look on her face.

"Having a good dream?" the Latina asked with a grin.

"I was actually...just rememberin' some fun times," Maggie admitted as Rosita nodded her head in understanding.

"I just came to check on y'all real quick and Abe wanted me to make sure the door was open. He's just being really overprotective right now," Rosita rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's current state of mind.

"His heart is in the right place. Hopefully, we won't have anythin' to worry about when Tara finally wakes up," Maggie said in a hopeful voice, though she was sure it wasn't going to be that easy.

"I'm sure when Tara wakes up she will be crackin' inappropriate jokes like she always does. You'll see," Rosita tried to be optimistic about the whole situation for Maggie's sake.

Rosita bid Maggie goodnight before heading back to the living room with the others, most of them asleep already. Maggie resumed her snuggled up position against Tara, reaching into her own pocket, pulling out Tara's wedding ring.

"This belongs to you. I can't have women thinkin' you're available," Maggie smiled to herself as she slipped the wedding band on Tara's left hand.

Maggie placed another kiss on Tara's lips, wishing that she would just wake up already. She missed everything about Tara - her voice, her jokes, her smile, her kisses, her love.

"I miss you. I even miss how overprotective you are over me," Maggie sometimes could get annoyed with how protective Tara could be over her, but now she missed it. She missed Tara talking to the baby and how Tara always let them both know how much she loved them.

Maggie spent another restless night by herself, even though Tara was next to her side. Maggie felt so incomplete, her heart felt like it was ripped in half. She prayed again, hoping that if there was a God, he would bring Tara back to her. Maggie finally cried herself into an unsettled sleep, her hand clutching the fabric of Tara's shirt for dear life, the only lifeline she had to her love.

* * *

The next couple of days were spent with Maggie only leaving Tara's side when she was forced to by Carol to get some fresh air and food, or when she had a bout of morning sickness. Daryl also kept a close watch over Tara, his head still going over what Abraham had told him. As each new day passed, the group's positivity that Tara would wake up dwindled significantly.

Rick tried to keep his family's motivation up but even he was starting to feel the stress of false hopes and dreams. Rosita and Carol tried their best to make sure Maggie was taking care of herself for the baby's sake. They knew all the stress Maggie was feeling wasn't good for the baby so they tried to do things with Maggie to relieve that stress like taking short walks.

Daryl walked into Tara's room, finding Maggie where she spent most of her time. Her eyes were sad with uncertainty.

"Hey, you should go get somethin' for dinner. You're eatin' for two after all. I'll stay with her," Daryl said as he waited for Maggie to get up.

"I know. Lately it seems like everyone is tellin' me what to do. And I'm tryin' to take care of myself for the baby but it's hard. Especially when she's just lyin' there and more times passes. I know it's getting more and more hopeless. I'm not ready to lose her, Daryl. I thought I could do this on my own but I can't. I can't do this baby thing on my own...I need her," Maggie cried as tears erupted.

Crying women always made Daryl uncomfortable but he knew Maggie needed some support in her time of need. He gently guided her into his arms, letting her cry out her emotions on his shirt.

"Hey, ya know you aren't in this alone. We're all here for you and baby. God forbid, that Tara doesn't wake up, we'll help raise the youngin' and make sure they grow up into someone Tara would be proud of. And I'm damn well gonna make sure they know who Tara was. But we're all here for ya Maggie, no matter how this turns out," Daryl felt Maggie's sobs lessen until there were just a few whimpers.

Maggie pulled away from Daryl, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Daryl. I didn't mean to have a break down in front of you."

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. If you need to cry then cry it all out. But seriously, you need to get somethin' to eat. You haven't had anythin' since breakfast. And Tara'll kill me for not watchin' out for ya," Daryl took the chair by the bed, signaling that Maggie had no room to argue with him on the subject.

"Alright...I'll be back in an hour or so," Maggie leaned down to kiss Tara's forehead before reluctantly leaving the room.

She headed outside, taking a seat next to Rosita, who immediately gave her something to eat.

"How are you doing?" Carol asked the expectant mother who looked exhausted.

"As good as I can be with everythin' that's goin' on," Maggie answered as she looked at the weary faces that looked at her. She knew they all felt sympathy for her because of Tara. Maggie had resisted the urge to close herself off to everyone which was how she usually handled stresses like this one. She had promised Tara, though that if anything happened she wouldn't close herself off to the family.

"We'll stay here as long as we need to...until Tara wakes up," Rick promised as Maggie gave him a small smile of appreciation.

"Here, I found this for you when I went into town with my dad. Maybe you can give it to the baby if it's a girl. It's broken though...maybe Tara or Daryl can fix it," Carl handed Maggie a small music box. Maggie opened it to find a tiny ballerina who stood still with no music to make her twirl around.

"Thank you so much, Carl. I'm sure one of them can fix it," Maggie stood up to give the teenager a hug, touched by his gift for her.

"And I got this for Tara. I figured she would like it," Carl showed Maggie a digital watch that was definitely Tara's style.

"I'm sure she'll love it," Maggie smiled, hoping that Tara would be able to wear the watch soon.

Everyone made small talk trying not to worry too much about Tara. They all knew the situation was looking dire with each passing hour that went by without any progress from Tara. They even knew there might be a possibility that she was brain dead but they weren't sure if they wanted to find out for sure yet. The family still wanted to give Tara a fighting chance, she deserved that much at least.

As the family sat out in the crisp fall air, they suddenly heard a loud crash and commotion coming from the bedroom. Everyone looked at each other, not sure what to do before Rick and Abraham jumped up and ran to the room. The rest of the group followed close behind, not quite sure what they would find.

Rick and Abraham ran into the room first, shocked to see that Tara was up and the scene that welcomed them. The night stand had been overturned and the chair had been thrown carelessly to the side. Tara had Daryl's arm twisted behind his back, a knife to his throat.

"Where are they? You bastard!" Tara yelled at Daryl, the knife held steady to his throat.

"I told ya to calm down and I'll explain everythin'..." Daryl pleaded to his best friend as she ignored his request.

"Hey! Put the knife down and we can talk," Rick said as he and Abraham brought their guns out, raising them in Tara's direction.

Maggie wasn't sure what to make of the scene in front of her. She was ecstatic that Tara was awake and seemed to be okay but something wasn't right about her. Maggie could tell by Tara's intense eyes that it wasn't totally her Tara.

"Just put the knife down and no one gets hurt. We're your friends," Rick tried to talk Tara down, not liking the wild look she had in her eyes.

"If y'all are my friends, why don't I remember any of y'all? What have y'all done with my dad, sister and niece?" Tara demanded as she twisted Daryl's arm harder, making him grunt with pain.

"You've been in our group for over a year or so. You were in a bad fight and you were out for a few days with a head injury. The bandage on your head is proof of that, Tara," Rick said as he slowly lowered his gun down. Abraham kept his trained on Tara, waiting for her to make a crazy move.

Tara reached up, feeling a bandage on her head. She wasn't sure if she should trust the strangers in front of her. Deep down, Tara felt like they were telling the truth but she wasn't sure if she could put her guard down.

"What year is it? What do you remember?" Rick asked Tara, wanting to see what they were working with. He glanced back a Maggie for a moment, knowing this probably wasn't easy for her to watch.

"It's 2010. Last thing I remember is coming home from the police station to the apartment I shared with my family and calling my girlfriend, Emily. We hadn't been going out long but she seemed nice enough. And I went to bed and woke up here," Tara answered as Rick cursed under his breath. She didn't even remember the whole walker apocalypse, and the events of the past two years or so.

Tara quickly became angry again as she twisted Daryl's arm some more, threatening to break it. "Now where the fuck is my family and Emily? I'll hurt y'all if I have to...so just tell me where they are," Tara demanded as she glared at the group in front of her.

Maggie could feel tears fall down her face as she realized that Tara didn't even know who she was or that they had a baby on the way. Tara didn't seem to remember any part of their relationship together. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her, feeling Rosita pull her into an comforting hug.

"It will be ok. She'll get her memory back," Rosita tried to comfort her best friend. Tara glanced at the two women for a moment before returning her gaze to Rick.

"Listen...there is no easy way to tell you this but the world you used to know is no more," Rick said as Tara gave him a confused look.

"What do you mean?" Tara asked the guy who seemed like the leader of this group in front of her.

"There was an apocalypse of some sorts. Creatures that we call walkers or biters took over the world, killing and infecting everyone in their path. Billions upon billions have died and humanity as we know it is no more. There are a few survivors like us, and we stick together to survive. You're part of our group, part of our family," Rick tried to get Tara to see that they weren't the enemy.

"So you're saying my dad, sister, and niece are dead?" Tara felt her grip on the man on the floor loosen a bit.

"I'm sorry...they're gone," Rick regretfully told her. Tara took in the news, not sure exactly what to feel. A part of her felt like she already knew this and the other part was devastated by the news.

"What about Emily? Is she gone also? Or is she alive?" Tara asked in a hopeful voice.

Rick sighed, "You never mentioned an Emily before but it's probably safe to bet that she's gone too."

Tara thought it over in her head before she let Daryl go. Daryl rubbed his arm, giving her a look before rejoining Rick's group. Tara stared at the group of strangers in front of her, they seemed nice enough except for the buff guy who had his gun pointed at her still.

"Way to treat your best friend," the rugged looking man said, rubbing his arm where Tara had twisted it.

"You're my best friend? Sorry man," Tara apologized, clearly surprised that the guy was supposedly her best friend.

"You really don't remember anything from the last two years?" a very attractive brunette asked Tara as she stepped forward. Tara noticed how beautiful her green eyes were, but she was tired of feeling inadequate because she supposedly had amnesia according to these people. Tara could feel herself get angry and frustrated over the whole situation.

"That's what I fuckin' said, isn't it?" Tara snapped at the young woman, taking a few steps up to her. Tara immediately felt regret when she noticed that the beautiful woman shrank back a bit, her eyes getting misty with tears.

Before Tara could apologize, she was pushed back by the buff redhead, who glared at her. He stood up straight to his full height trying to intimidate Tara. She didn't back down though as she stepped up to him.

"You best watch that attitude and have some respect for your wife before I show you what respect is," Abraham threatened as Tara felt the breath leave her body, quickly forgetting what she was angry about.

"Wife?!" Tara asked out loud to no one in particular.

"Yeah...wife. And a baby on the way so you better step up," Abraham added so Tara would know what the stakes were.

Tara didn't know what to believe. Last night she went to sleep, living a seemingly careless bachelor life to now being married with a kid on the way. Tara felt the wedding band on her finger, knowing that the strangers were telling her the truth about everything. She just wished she could remember who they all were since they were obviously very important to her.

Tara looked at Maggie who was crying, watching as the emotional woman ran out of the room. Maggie couldn't be in the room knowing that Tara didn't know who she was and that she didn't love her anymore. Maggie could literally feel her heart break knowing that when she looked into Tara's eyes she didn't see the love that was always in them before.

Tara started to go after her before she was stopped by the redhead grabbing her arm. Tara glared at him, wondering what his problem was.

"I don't trust you with her," he said softly. Maggie was important to Abraham since she was Rosita's best friend, and he felt a sense of responsibility towards her and the unborn baby.

"I'm not gonna hurt her. I promise...what's her name?" Tara asked the group, who were standing there awkwardly looking at her.

"Her name's Maggie. Abraham let Tara go...if anything happens we're all here. But Maggie needs this and you know it," an attractive Hispanic woman ordered the man in front of Tara to let her go.

Abraham stepped aside to let Tara go, stopping her briefly. "If you hurt her, I will crush you...you understand?"

"Sure thing, Sergeant!" Tara gave the man a mock salute, before being stopped by the redhead again.

"How did you know I was a Sergeant in the Army?" Abraham questioned as Tara shrugged her shoulders.

"Lucky guess? Now let me go talk to the wife I just found out I had," Tara said as she ran out of the room before someone else could stop her.

"Tara will get her memory back. It's there just under the surface, she just needs time or something to jog it, but she will regain it," Abraham said with confidence as the others could only pray that he was right.

* * *

Tara finally found Maggie on the cabin steps after navigating her way through the unfamiliar surroundings. Maggie was crying to herself, her body shaking as each sob trembled through her. Tara felt awful, her heart breaking at the sight in front of her. She was unsure on how to approach the other woman. Maggie couldn't stop the tears from falling, hating the way she seemed so weak. Tara had never talked to her like that before, and she just wanted the love of her life back.

Tara sat down next to Maggie, realizing how beautiful she looked even when she was crying her eyes out. Tara let herself smile a bit at the thought before getting serious.

"I'm sorry about what happened back there. That isn't me...I was just frustrated about everything that was goin' on. That's not an excuse though for how I talked to you. That's not who I am and I don't ever want you to be afraid of me," Tara apologized as Maggie looked at her, her eyes red from all the tears she had shed.

Before Tara could stop herself she reached over and wiped Maggie's tears away. Maggie felt comfort from the familiar touch as their eyes met. Tara felt a connection to the woman beside her, even if she couldn't remember her exactly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure my memory will come back and you'll have the person you love home again," Tara whispered as she stared into those green eyes that seemed to entrance her.

Tara looked at Maggie's lips wanting so desperately to kiss them but wasn't sure if she was allowed to. She watched as Maggie's eyes fell to her lips, anticipating a kiss. Tara decided to make the first move, leaning close to Maggie, giving her enough time to move away if this wasn't what she wanted.

Maggie felt her breath stop as Tara moved closer. She had been waiting for this moment for days. Tara licked her lips before softly connecting their lips together. Maggie let all coherent thoughts go as she tasted Tara for the first time in days, letting her tongue slip into Tara's mouth.

Tara, on the other hand, couldn't believe how many of her senses were alive just from this one kiss. She tasted Maggie, wanting more as she let her hands roam down Maggie's sides, stopping at her waist. She could barely contain herself as she heard Maggie whimper.

They finally had to pull away for air as Tara opened her eyes, looking at Maggie who had a small smile on her face. Tara realized that was the best kiss she had ever had.

"Wow...that was amazing," Tara said, breathing hard, she could feel herself start to get excited.

"You're an amazin' kisser. Always have been," Maggie let out a little giggle that Tara found adorable. She could see why her future self would want to marry this woman, Maggie was perfect.

"So...we have a baby on the way. That means we've had sex, so how am I in the sack?" Tara asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

"You're amazin'...you always know how to get me goin' and it's just amazin' every time," Maggie said as Tara felt her ego grow.

"Score for Chambler! I've got to give props to my future self...I've got a hot wife. Wonder how I managed to pull that off," Tara laughed as Maggie simply smiled.

"It's cuz you're sweet and always looking out for me and the baby. You've always been there when I needed you and always protectin' me. You're perfect for me," Maggie felt a familiar sense of comfort as she felt Tara wrap an arm around her shoulder. She allowed herself to lean into Tara, surrounding herself in Tara's familiar scent.

"I promise you Maggie, I will try my best to regain my memory. You deserve to have the Tara you know and love. Until then I promise to take care of you and the baby and to protect y'all at all costs," Tara promised as she placed a kiss on Maggie's hair, smelling the scent of vanilla.

They sat together watching the sunset. Maggie relished hearing Tara's heartbeat as she held her close. Maggie had to admit this wasn't the ideal situation. Tara didn't remember anything about their relationship together, but she was trying. That meant a lot since Tara still thought she was a bachelor, and all of a sudden had all these responsibilities to handle. Maggie had to admit having Tara in this state of mind was better than not having her at all.

Maggie hoped that Tara would regain her full memory soon. She only wanted to have her growing family back to the way they were before. If she had to she would get Tara to fall in love with her again. Maggie closed her eyes as she savored the feel of being in Tara's arms, knowing there was no where else she would rather be.

* * *

So Tara lost her memory...will she get it back or will her and Maggie have to fall in love all over again? Which will have to happen cuz of the baby...right? Right? Or will Tara feel overwhelmed with all the responsibilities suddenly sprung upon her? Poor Maggie, she has been through a lot and it only gets more complicated.

This chapter's song is "I Miss You" by Blink 182.

Thank you all so much for your awesome reviews. I try to reply to every one that I get so you all know that you are special to me. To my anonymous reviewer...hope this made your Saturday morning and sorry for making you cry the last chapter. :)

Gabriela: thank you so much! I have to say that you are pretty awesome! And I would definitely give you the biggest hug ever! Probably several since I'm so lovable! :D

This week has sucked cuz of relationship problems...blah blah blah. But writing these stories helps so I'm glad you are all here to enjoy them. :D

Congrats to the U.S. for legalizing gay marriage in all 50 states. So...anyone want to get married? Lol


	20. I Want to Know What Love Is

Tara sat on the steps of the cabin which had become the group's makeshift home until she could get her memory back. If she ever did.

She was busy reading one of the baby books that Rick had gotten the other day when Daryl walked out onto the porch. He took a look at her before getting a small smile on his face. Tara looked up at the man who was her best friend.

The past few days had been confusing for Tara. Everyone didn't know how to act around her and they kind of kept their distance, except Daryl. He was determined to help Tara regain her memory, no matter what it took.

"So readin' up on baby stuff. Look at ya, bein' all responsible," Daryl laughed as Tara gave him a small smile.

"I'm trying. I was kinda freakin' out the other night about everything, but Maggie needs me. And she's an amazing woman, and she deserves someone who will be there for her," Tara replied as Daryl sat down next to her.

"How's Maggie doin'?" Daryl asked. He knew the expectant mother was taking the whole memory loss hard. Daryl thought the couple would be okay but it seemed like the distance between them grew. Tara was nervous about all the new responsibilities she was now facing while Maggie was dealing with someone who had no recollection of their past together.

Tara sighed. "About as good as she can with everything goin' on. We talked a little last night. Just trying to get to know each other all over again really. I know she wished her old Tara was back."

"You'll get there. We're all here to help you," Daryl said although he knew the others still felt a little awkward around Tara. He wanted them to talk to Tara and try to jog up her memory, and they did every once and while.

Carl had given Tara the watch he had found for her while sharing the funny story about how he accidentally hit her in the crotch with a football. Tara had laughed, instantly taking a liking to the teenager.

"Yeah I guess," Tara sighed as she closed the book and set it aside to read later. She looked around seeing Maggie sitting with Rosita and Carol. She wished they had a better relationship, but they were both not sure how to proceed.

Tara remembered the amazing kiss they had shared the other day. She wanted more but Maggie wanted to wait. She remembered how it felt to hold Maggie in her arms, and she knew they had a connection but ultimately they were strangers to each other.

Tara had no qualms about sleeping with Maggie, and she wanted to. God she wanted to, but Maggie wanted to wait. So Tara respected her wishes, and tried to be the person that Maggie had loved. So far it seemed like she hadn't been able to achieve that goal.

Daryl looked at Tara and then Maggie, knowing their relationship was a bit strained. He decided that Tara needed to get out of the cabin for a while. It was time to give her brain a refresher on the runs they used to go on together, and how to kill walkers.

"You wanna get outta here? We can go to town and see if there's anything to scrounge up. Maybe if we run into a few walkers, you can practice killin' them sons of a bitches," Daryl suggested as Tara nodded.

She really wanted to get out since she was bored out of her mind. The other day, Daryl had taken her out into the woods to find walkers to kill. They had finally found one. Tara wasn't afraid of it, just a little apprehensive as Daryl instructed her on how to kill it.

Tara did what she was told, killing the walker easily, almost as if it were second nature to her. Daryl commented that she must subconsciously remember how to kill the walkers, even if she had no memory of the creatures. Tara was just glad she was able to hold her own, and not be a weak link in the group.

Daryl went to tell Rick about his plans for the day. Rick agreed as long as they didn't stay out too long and Daryl kept an eye on Tara. He didn't want her to get hurt any more than she already was.

Tara stood up and walked over to where Maggie was sitting. She thought Maggie looked beautiful with the sunlight hitting her hair at just the right angle. Tara lost her train of thought as she stood mesmerized by Maggie's beauty.

"What?" Maggie asked with a small smile. She had to admit that Tara did look adorable just staring at her. It almost felt like her old Tara was back in a way.

"Nothin'...you're just...nothin'," Tara stopped herself before she said anything to embarrass herself. She wasn't used to giving out compliments unless it was to get into some girl's pants. Then she knew how to spit out game like no other but Maggie wasn't that kind of girl.

"Ok..." Maggie said slightly disappointed that Tara hadn't given her a compliment like she usually did.

Daryl shook his head as he watched Tara crash and burn. He was going to have to give her a pep talk while they were out. This was almost as bad as when Tara had feelings for Maggie and wouldn't tell her.

"Well, I'm goin' out with Daryl so I'll be back later," Tara told Maggie as her wife simply nodded.

"Be careful out there," Maggie said sincerely as she stood up to give Tara a hug.

Tara welcomed the hug as she wrapped her arms around Maggie. Feeling Maggie's body so close to hers was a rush she hadn't felt before. Tara didn't want to let go as Maggie pulled away from the hug.

"Get back to us in one piece," Maggie gave Tara a kiss on the cheek before she sat down next to Rosita.

"I will," Tara promised as she gave Maggie a smile.

Daryl threw his arm around Tara's shoulders as he led her away from the cabin and towards the road that led to a nearby town. Maggie watched the duo as they walked until they were out of sight.

"How are you holding up?" Rosita asked Maggie.

"I'm doin' the best that I can. Tara's tryin'...I'll give her that much but I feel like her heart isn't totally into this and that scares me. She hasn't really talked much about the baby and I'm afraid she's gettin' second thoughts," Maggie said sadly. She wasn't sure what she would do if Tara decided this whole baby thing wasn't for her.

"What if she decides this isn't for her? What if Tara decides to walk away from everything?" Maggie sighed, feeling her eyes start to mist at the thought.

"I'm sure she won't do that even if she doesn't fully regain her memory, but hopefully Tara will get it all back soon," Rosita wrapped an arm around Maggie, pulling her close to comfort her.

Rosita wasn't sure if Tara would walk away or not. She knew Tara was feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything that was going on. Rosita hadn't talked much to Tara since she had woken up but she decided they needed a little talk. She wanted to help put Maggie's fears to rest. The last thing Maggie needed now was more stress, especially in her delicate condition.

"I'm sure she will get her memory back soon," Abraham threw his two cents in, wanting to be some kind of comfort to Maggie. "Daryl said she wasn't afraid of the walker and killed it like it was nothing after some instruction. And she knew I was Sergeant in the Army. Plus, the other day she told me she remembered the word GREATM for some reason. It's all there...something just needs to happen to switch the lightbulb on."

Rick sat listening to Abraham, the sooner they got Tara completely back the sooner they could continue on their journey. He was going to give her a couple of more days before he decided to get going once again. They would probably have to walk some part of the way. So far, no reliable vehicle had been found much to Rick's dismay.

"Well, if there is a way to speed up the process maybe we can try it," Rick said as they all thought of a way to jog up Tara's memory.

"Maybe another knock to the head would do it," Michonne suggested as Abraham just snickered.

"Yeah...that's all she needs is another bump on the head. We would probably just make it worse," Abraham quickly dismissed the idea.

"Well, we all have been kinda talkin' to her about past experiences. I admit we could be better about it. I know it's a bit awkward but we all need to do our part," Rick instructed the group. Maybe talking more to Tara about the past two years would help recover some of her lost memories. Or at least bring the family dynamic close to what it used to be. Right now, it was strained by this event.

"Talkin'. It's what we've been doin' for these last few days, and it ain't workin'," Abraham argued, frustrated that the process was taking so long. He just wanted his friend back to the way she used to be. He had to admit, Tara wasn't bad the way she was now but there was something missing from her and they all felt it.

"At least her outbursts have gone down a lot," Sasha added to the conversation as Rick nodded in agreement.

The first couple of days had been trying for everyone. Tara had been quick to get frustrated and angry that she couldn't remember the strangers around her. One time, her and Abraham were talking and he was pushing her too hard to remember events that her brain had no recollection of. Abraham kept pushing and pushing until finally Tara had had enough. She got angry, pushing Abraham away from her which led to them almost having a fight. Rick was forced to get between them before things got too serious.

Other times she would get frustrated with herself and end up punching a wall or a tree. Tara had ended up hurting her hand in the process, but she didn't care. Tara decided to curb her anger issues when she realized that Maggie seemed timid around her and she heard Abraham warn Maggie about her sometimes spontaneous behavior. So far Tara had been doing good with keeping her anger in check.

"We should just let it take it's course. The memories will come back when they are ready to," Carol tried to add some reason to the group. She didn't think putting Tara under any unnecessary stress was good and was probably making things worse.

"You could always have sex with her. That might help. Doesn't having an orgasm make all these things in the brain go off?" Abraham threw out a suggestion that he knew Tara would actually enjoy.

"Well, during sexual intercourse the brain releases all kinds of neurochemicals, which are chemical messengers that forge emotions, feelings of attachment, and even love. During sexual activity, many areas of the brain are impacted," Eugene piped up with a quick science lesson for the group.

"See that? Maybe she just needs to bust a nut and it will help speed up the process," Abraham laughed.

"I doubt it's that easy," Carol argued as the red head just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure if I can have sex with her. I would feel like I'm cheating on Tara with herself. Ugh...that doesn't even make any sense," Maggie almost felt like this was all a crazy dream and she would wake up, seeing that everything was back to normal.

"Cheating on Tara with herself. Man, this is just a fucked up situation," Rosita couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth.

"Well, if you don't want to, I'll let Rosita take one for the team," Abraham joked as both Rosita and Maggie glared at him, clearly not finding the joke funny.

"Yeah...that's not happening," Rosita said as Maggie nodded in agreement.

"Hey, I was just throwin' ideas out there to help Tara out," the red head laughed to himself.

"I'll think about it," Maggie said in a tone that announced that the conversation was over. Abraham just nodded his head in understanding, he only wanted the best for his friends after all. Watching the couple not being sure how to interact with each other was killing the group. There was distance between them that needed to get sorted out.

Maggie sighed sadly as she thought of the situation at hand. She just wanted her Tara back. The one who knew everything about her. The one who knew what the name of their child would be. The one who could make her laugh and feel better no matter what was going on. She loved this Tara but then she didn't. Maggie was so confused about her feelings about everything. She said a silent prayer that all of Tara's memories would come rushing back to her soon.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tara and Daryl walked down the dusty pavement, both of them silent. Daryl looked over at Tara who seemed to be lost in thought. He knew she was probably thinking about Maggie and their relationship.

"You should try to show Maggie that you care a lot about her. Maybe tell her that's she beautiful every once in a while. You used to tell her all the time, and she loved it," Daryl suggested to his friend. Tara looked at him, nodding her head in agreement.

"I'll keep that in mind," Tara simply stated as Daryl rolled his eyes at her. She never made things easy.

"Look, I know your still a bit standoffish because you don't know shit about us. We're just a bunch of strangers to you. Hell, you've barely remembered everyone's name but you need to make sure you fix this with Maggie. You two were meant to be together, and I'll be damned if some fuckin' memory loss is gonna break y'all up. Especially with the youngin' on the way, that kid deserves both parents," Daryl gave his passionate speech as Tara looked at him in astonishment.

"It's not that easy. I'm trying...I really am but I can tell Maggie doesn't love me like she used to. She's waiting for the old Tara to reemerge and fuck...I am too but that might not happen. I don't want to disappoint her any more than I already have," Tara could feel herself become frustrated about the dilemma she was in.

"Well, make her love you again. You did it once before. You can do it again. Make her laugh, give her compliments, talk to the baby like you used to. We're all rootin' for ya, Tara. We all love you, even if you never regain your memories," Daryl tried to give Tara a pep talk, knowing his friend's relationship was ultimately on the line.

"Thanks, man," Tara raised her fist towards him. Daryl smiled as he returned the fist bump.

After walking for a few more miles the duo came upon an abandoned town. Daryl looked around, keeping an eye for any walkers they could use for practice. Seeing none in sight, he surveyed the stores that were still standing. Daryl decided they could hit up the department store first and see if they could find some basic baby things. He knew they still had a few months until Maggie had the baby but it was a good idea to start looking for things now. Plus, who knew when they would run into another intact town on the way to Washington DC. He knew a lot of the roads leading to the capital were lonely and desolate.

"Come on, let's hit up this department store first. Then we can see what the grocery store has to offer. Maybe there is a gun store somewhere around here. Sound good?" Daryl asked as he handed Tara a handgun.

"Sounds like a plan," Tara said as she holstered the weapon. Rick allowed Tara to carry her knife around in case of walkers but he restricted her gun use after the few scuffles she had with Abraham. She understood why he did it, and didn't object...her anger could get the best of her and it was better to be safe than sorry.

They walked down the brick layered street until they reached a medium sized department store. Daryl banged on the window to draw any walkers up near the front door. They waited for a couple of minutes before there was smacks and bangs against the window. Daryl thought it sounded like there were at least five biters in the front.

"Alright, we'll go in. Kill these things in the front and then scout the rest of the building to make sure it's clear. You'll be alright?" Daryl asked Tara, knowing she was still learning the ends and out of walker killing.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," Tara scoffed. She hated being thought of as weak in any way. Tara knew Daryl hadn't meant it that way, but she still felt like she had a lot to prove to the group.

"Hey..none of that attitude. We always looked out for each other no matter what. We would die for each other if we had to. So cut the attitude, alright?" Daryl said in a stern voice, almost feeling like he was reprimanding a teenager.

"I'm sorry, man. I'm learning to control it," Tara replied with a sheepish grin. Daryl just shook his head, a small smile on his face. He could never stay upset at Tara for long.

"Alright ready?" Daryl asked as he placed his hand on the lever to open the door, his crossbow ready.

"Let's rock n' roll!" Tara said as she readied her knife, determined to take on the walkers that were banging on the windows.

Daryl gave Tara one last look before he opened the door, stepping inside the building with Tara right behind him. As soon as they walked through the entrance, hungry walkers took notice of the fresh meals. Daryl did a quick head count, seeing that there were seven walkers advancing towards them.

"You take the right. I take the left!" Daryl yelled at Tara as she nodded in agreement with the plan. Daryl quickly went to work, smashing one of the walker's head against the wall.

Tara took a second to watch the walkers descending towards her before instincts she didn't even know she had kicked in. Tara grabbed the first walker on the right side by the collar, stabbing her knife right into its eye. She let the body fall to the floor before moving onto the next one. Soon all of the walkers had been disposed of, their bodies in a heap on the floor.

"Good job with those sons of a bitches," Daryl patted Tara's shoulder a few times, impressed with her skill.

"Thanks," Tara tried to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room.

"Alright, you can take the west side of the building and I'll take the east. Just look for anything useful like flashlights, batteries, blankets, baby stuff, stuff for Judith. You should do fine," Daryl instructed as Tara nodded, showing Daryl that she understood.

Daryl decided that Tara would be alright on her own before he walked away to his side of the store to see what useful things he could find. Tara was glad to have a few moments to herself. She really enjoyed being with Daryl and he was a great friend, but he could be a little overbearing at times. Tara knew it was only because he was trying to help her with the memory loss, and for that she was grateful to have Daryl around.

Tara walked down the aisles looking for anything useful. She found some flashlights, quickly sticking them in her bag. She also found some candles which she thought would come in use. After finding some lighters and a blanket, she stumbled upon a bin of stuffed animals.

Tara remembered the lecture Daryl gave her earlier about showing Maggie how much she cared about her. Girls liked stuffed animals, right? Tara decided it wouldn't hurt to get one for Maggie. The worst thing that could happen was that she would embarrass herself in front of a very beautiful woman. She figured Maggie would enjoy something sweet like a stuffed animal.

She dug around in the bin until she found a cute teddy bear that she was sure that Maggie would adore...or at least she hoped she would. Tara was about to head Daryl's way when she went back to the bin and grabbed another bear. She decided the baby would need a stuffed animal also.

Tara made sure both bears were safely in her backpack before she started to head towards the area where Daryl was.

"Hey! Come here!" She heard Daryl yell for her as she picked up the pace towards his direction.

She finally found Daryl in the middle of a music aisle. He was knelt down beside a battery-powered CD player and was busy inserting batteries into it. He looked up at her and grinned.

"One of my favorite memories of us was when you found a CD player like this one and threw some music on. We ended up signin' Lynyrd Skynyrd together and just goofin' off. For a moment, I allowed myself to forget all the shit that had happened to us. It was fun," Daryl recounted the story as Tara smiled.

"Now, almost all of the CDs were busted but I managed to find one that was intact, even if it is a little corny soundin'," Daryl handed Tara the CD cover as she took a look at it.

"80s love songs? Are you serious?" Tara laughed as Daryl simply shrugged.

"It's the only thing I could find. Plus, it would be nice to have some music for once. Everything's so quiet nowadays," Daryl opened the CD cover after briefly reading the list of songs on the back.

"Well, put it on then. I'm sure music will make this supply run more romantic than it already is," Tara joked as Daryl laughed. He was glad to see a glimpse of the old, joking Tara for a few seconds.

Daryl pressed play on the CD player as the mellow tune of "I Want to Know What Love Is" filled the room around them. Tara had to admit this was a good song to listen to.

"Alright, we got some tunes playin'. Help me look around this area," Daryl instructed as Tara started to walk down a couple of aisles.

Tara looked over at Daryl, listening to the words of the song. "You know when I first realized that I might have had a chance with Maggie, every time I would want to tell her, I would think of this song. It just described how I felt perfectly. I was afraid to fall in love, but I just kinda knew she was the one for me. And now listening to the song...its just...I don't know. I never thought I would hear it ever again."

Daryl looked at Tara in amazement. She went about her business as if what she had just told him wasn't a big improvement to her current condition. Daryl continued to stare at his best friend until he saw the light bulb go off in her head.

"Hey! I remembered something! And not only that...I remembered something that had to do with Maggie!" Tara nearly jumped up and down in excitement as Daryl gave her a hug.

"Can you remember anythin' else?" He questioned as Tara thought long and hard.

"No...that's it," Tara said a bit disappointed.

"It's a start though. That song must have triggered somethin'. Maybe the more you listen to it, the more it will bring back more memories. It can't hurt to try...we're definitely takin' that CD player back with us," Daryl was beyond excited about the small progress they had made. He knew Maggie would be happy when he told her the good news.

The friends spent the rest of the hour looking throughout the department store and taking what was needed. Daryl kept the song on repeat, hoping to jog up some more memories for Tara. Next, they decided to hit up the grocery store with the song still playing in the background.

As Tara was collecting a few canned goods, she suddenly stopped what she was doing. Daryl looked at her, wondering what was wrong.

"Did I cheat on Maggie? I keep remembering something about a Lisa? And I get little snippets in my mind and it doesn't seem good," Tara told Daryl with some sorrow in her voice. She hoped she hadn't done anything like that to Maggie. Maggie deserved so much more than that.

"Nah...you didn't. She was just some crazy bitch who wouldn't get off your nuts. Tried to make it look like you were cheatin' but you never did anything with that harlot," Daryl still held a lot of contempt against Lisa.

Tara let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad I didn't...I would have felt like such a jerk."

Daryl chalked that up as another victory on their part. Of course, it wasn't exactly the memory he wanted Tara to remember but it was better than nothing. The duo stayed in the town for a couple of more hours until Daryl decided they should head back. The two headed back towards the cabin, their bond seemingly stronger than ever.

* * *

Daryl and Tara finally made it back to the cabin. Their progress had been hindered by a few stray walkers that Tara decided to kill. Daryl was going to tell her to leave them alone since they weren't a threat, but he changed his mind. He knew Tara needed to prove to herself that she could take on the walkers by herself with no problems.

Rick gave Daryl a look when he saw the CD player in his hands.

"You tryin' out for singing lessons?" Rick joked as Daryl just smirked.

"Nah man. Listenin' to some corny love song helped Tara regain a couple of memories. So we've been listenin' to it all afternoon, and it's been helpin'. I figured she can listen to it before bed or whenever," Daryl gave Rick the quick summary, promising to tell him more after he talked to Maggie.

Daryl ran inside the cabin to find Maggie on the couch, reading her baby book. Rosita was sitting next to her, looking at the book with Maggie, both of them commenting on some of the material they read. They both looked up as Daryl stomped into house with an excited, boyish smile plastered on his face.

"What's with you?" Rosita asked, genuinely curious as to why the man was smiling like an idiot. Maggie let out a giggle.

"Tara remembered a memory that involved you, Maggie! She remembered when she was a love struck puppy for you," Daryl excitedly exclaimed as big smile crossed Maggie's face.

Daryl told the two women about the CD player and how Tara had nonchalantly remembered the memory. He also told them how she had recounted glimpses of Lisa and was afraid that she had cheated. He explained to them that it wouldn't hurt for Tara to listen to the song some more. Hopefully, it would jog up a lot more memories.

"What song is it?" Maggie asked.

"It's that "I Want to Know What Love Is," Daryl laughed, even the title sounded pretty corny but he had to admit, it was a pretty good song.

"Wow...you can't get anymore cliched than that," Rosita laughed as Maggie joined her.

"Well, whatever helps. Right?" Daryl gave the women a smirk as he walked out onto the porch. He saw Tara was by herself sitting on the steps. He wished she would try to be more social but he couldn't force her. Daryl ruffled Tara's hair as he walked down the stairs, heading towards Rick and the others to give them the news.

Tara sat by herself for a few minutes, trying to remember anything else that gave her a clue to the last two years. She remembered how anxious she had been to tell Maggie her feelings, but that was it. She didn't remember how they got together or the first kiss. Tara didn't remember proposing to Maggie and certainly didn't remember getting her pregnant.

She sat uninterrupted in her thoughts for a few moments before she felt a presence beside her. Tara looked up and saw Rosita standing next to her. Tara looked Rosita up and down, she had to admit the Latina was very attractive. If Tara wasn't married, she would have definitely tried to hit that.

"Can I sit?" Rosita asked as Tara nodded. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So I need to talk to you," Rosita said as Tara gave her a look.

"About what?" Tara was confused about what Rosita needed. They hadn't talked much since she had woken up.

"Maggie's freakin' out a bit. She really thinks that you aren't in this baby thing with her," Rosita revealed one of Maggie's worst fears.

"Why does she think that?" Tara didn't want Maggie to think that she was going to be some kind of deadbeat. She definitely wanted to be in her child's life.

"Because you don't talk about the baby. Before you used to always talk to the baby and now you barely acknowledge the kid," Rosita named a few of Tara's recent shortcomings.

"Ok I'll be better about all that. I'm gonna be in this baby's life. I mean it's my kid, right?" Tara joked as Rosita just shook her head.

"Yes, it's yours, you doofus. Now make sure Maggie knows that you're gonna be there for her through everything," Rosita instructed as Tara nodded.

"Alright...alright...so bossy. So tell me...did we ever hook up?" Tara asked. She had been wondering for the past few days if they had slept together.

"Yeah we did. It happened before you were with Maggie. It was something we both wanted and it happened," the Latina answered.

"Nice! Score another for Chambler! Was it good?" Tara questioned with a cocky grin on her face.

"The couple of minutes that it lasted was good," Rosita laughed as Tara just shook her head.

"Hey now! Don't go around briusin' my ego," Tara exclaimed as she playfully pouted.

"Nah...it was pretty good. Both of us were satisfied," the Latina grinned as Tara gave her famous goofy smile.

"So...you want a repeat performance?" Tara joked as she wiggled her eyebrows.

Rosita smacked Tara on the shoulder, "That is a big fat no! Now go talk to your wife!"

Tara watched as Rosita walked down the stairs to join the others who were gathered around a fire that Rick had built. They were laughing and conversing together like a family. Tara wished that she could feel like she was a part of that family dynamic but she didn't feel fully accepted yet.

Tara decided that she needed to talk to Maggie and help quell her fears a bit. She looked all around the cabin, but couldn't find Maggie anywhere. Then Tara remembered the bedroom that was never used. She quickly went to the room, slowly opening the door.

Tara felt her heart swell as she took in the scene before her. Maggie was on the bed, laying in her side, fast asleep. Tara knew that the pregnancy exhausted Maggie and she needed frequent rest. Tara knew she should just leave the room and come back later but she couldn't resist.

Tara quietly climbed into the bed with Maggie. She smiled as Maggie snuggled into her body, draping her arm across Tara's stomach. Maggie rested her head on Tara's shoulder, placing a soft kiss on her neck. Tara felt shivers go down her body just from that one kiss.

She pulled Maggie tighter, loving the feel of her wife's body so close to her own. Tara closed her eyes as she felt sleep overtake her body. For the first time in days, Tara fell into a restful slumber.

* * *

Maggie woke up a few hours later, feeling a warm body underneath hers. The room was dark since night had already fallen, the only light coming from the moon outside the window.

She instinctively cuddled into the body around her, feeling cold air all around her. She took in the familiar, comforting scent of Tara. She smelled like home mixed in with some Irish Spring soap from the clean up she had done earlier.

Maggie sat up slightly, looking down at Tara's sleeping face. She looked so peaceful, Maggie couldn't help the feelings of love that overtook her. She remembered what Abraham had told her earlier...how sex might help trigger Tara's memory. Even if it didn't work, Maggie still wanted the experience.

The inkling of an idea began to form in Maggie's mind.

She saw that Tara's CD player was on the night stand. Maggie pressed play and made sure that Tara's song was on repeat. The soft melody of the lovelorn song began to fill the room. Tara still didn't wake up from her deep slumber, instead she pulled the covers tighter.

Maggie peeled the cover further back, reached down, and slowly unbuckled Tara's belt. She then lowered the zipper and took hold of Tara's penis. Despite appearing to be fast asleep Tara was responsive. Maggie began to move her hand, gripping Tara and stroking firmly.

Tara quickly grew erect until she stood proud and hard. Maggie realized how much bigger Tara seemed, smiling to herself and leaning forward. She darted out the tip of her tongue and tentatively licked, running her tongue gently up the length of Tara. Tara jerked in response. She did it again, more confidently this time.

Glancing up at Tara's face to make sure she was still asleep, Maggie climbed over a thigh and settled herself in between Tara's legs, drawing the tip of Tara's cock into her mouth. Circling her tongue around the head, she sucked Tara further into her mouth, enclosing as much of Tara as she could.

Tara groaned and thrust her hips towards Maggie suddenly, catching her off guard and filling her mouth, causing her to gag a little. She pulled away slightly and began to suck. Softly at first and then more firmly moving up and down the length of the cock, letting her teeth lightly brush the tip. She could tell the moment Tara awoke because her breath hitched and she groaned.

Tara woke suddenly to the most amazing sensation. At first Tara thought she was dreaming, but when she propped herself onto her elbows and looked down she was met with what was possibly the most erotic sight she'd ever seen. Maggie looked back up at Tara, her mouth filled with Tara's cock and a mischievous glint in her eyes. Maggie was incredible, and Tara wasn't sure if she could hold back much longer. Tara really didn't want to cum right away.

"Maggie," Tara said urgently.

"Hmm?" She looked up at Tara coyly.

The effect nearly caused Tara to burst in her mouth right away.

"Oh God, baby you need to stop, I'm going to..." Tara breathed heavily as Maggie continued on.

Maggie began to move faster, sucking harder, drawing Tara deeper into her mouth.

"Fuck..." Tara muttered.

Tara needed to do something before it was too late. Reaching down and grabbing both of Maggie's arms, Tara lifted Maggie onto her and then rolled, pinning Maggie underneath herself. The whole thing seemed to happen in one swift movement, and before Maggie knew it she was trapped beneath Tara unable to move. With lust coursing through her body, Tara quickly removed all of Maggie's clothes, taking her time to admire the beautiful body beneath her.

Maggie assisted in taking off Tara's plaid, letting it fall off of her shoulders and onto the floor. She pushed down Tara's jeans until they were about halfway off. Tara stood up and kicked them off before getting back on top of Maggie. Tara leaned down, kissing Maggie with lust and desperation, feeling her body rub against Maggie's, creating delicious friction.

Maggie wriggled and tried to push her hips into Tara's but Tara was pressing her so hard into the mattress that she could not move at all. Tara was holding both of Maggie's wrists by her side. Tara's hips pinning Maggie's, her chest pressed so tightly against Maggie, she could feel Tara's heart beating.

Tara's breathing was laboured when she spoke. "That was a fuckin' hot way to wake up, but I don't want to come just yet."

Tara looked down at Maggie and considered her own predicament. Tara had come so close to coming, to losing control. She didn't seem to have any self control at all where Maggie was concerned. Tara found herself constantly taken aback by the strength of her feelings towards Maggie.

Tara wanted her. She wanted to fuck Maggie until she couldn't walk anymore. Tara wanted to do it now. Hell, Tara felt like she wanted to do this every day for the rest of her life. Tara wanted to make Maggie beg for it. But she also wanted to look after Maggie, Tara wanted to protect her. Tara wanted Maggie to belong to her and no one else.

Tara suddenly had a memory of a time when they had made love before. She could remember all the details. The way Maggie had looked at her. The noises Maggie made when she came. Suddenly, unexpectedly Tara was filled with an angry, unreasonable possessiveness. She couldn't bear the thought of anyone else seeing Maggie look at them like that, hearing those noises.

Maggie watched Tara as she seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle. Maggie noticed that Tara's breathing was starting to return to normal, and finally after what felt like half a lifetime she released Maggie's wrists and grabbed her face in both hands. Tara kissed her with a determined possessiveness, pushing Maggie's lips open, exploring her mouth with her tongue. Tara thrust into Maggie in a forceful fluid motion, burying herself deep. When Tara realized how wet Maggie was, a low growl erupted from somewhere deep in her chest.

The sound Tara made was so erotic it took Maggie's breath away. Maggie felt wonderfully full as she yielded to Tara's intrusion. Maggie returned Tara's thrusts with her own, grinding her hips against Tara's and tilting them forwards, trying to increase the pleasurable sensations that were already coursing through her. Already Maggie could feel that familiar delicious tension building in her loins.

Heat blossomed in the pit of Maggie's stomach, until it was an all consuming, overwhelming sensation building inside her. Each time Tara thrust into her the feeling intensified, Tara's pelvis pressing against her clitoris. Maggie felt herself starting to unravel.

Clinging to Tara's shoulders and digging her fingernails into Tara's skin, Maggie leaned into Tara and dragged her teeth across Tara's shoulder, eliciting a groan in response. The sound pushed Maggie over the edge as she sunk her teeth into Tara's skin, absentmindedly bearing down on her shoulder as she exploded into an intense climax.

Tara sat beside Maggie as she recovered, looking down admiringly. Tara stroked her hands along Maggie's side and cupped Maggie's breasts thoughtfully before moving her hands back down again and wrapping them both around Maggie's waist as she gripped her, pressing herself into Maggie's depths. Suddenly Tara pulled out and rolled Maggie onto her stomach.

"Get on your knees, I want to take you from behind." Maggie dazedly scrabbled up on to her knees and gripped the headboard in front of her.

Tara was kneeling behind Maggie, pressed up against her. Tara's erection pressed into the small of Maggie's back.

"So beautiful," Tara groaned dragging her nails gently up the front of Maggie's thighs and causing her to shiver with anticipation.

Tara grasped Maggie's hips in both her hands, groaning as she slowly slid into Maggie. Tara began to fuck her with long, slow, penetrating strokes. Maggie moaned at this new invasion, it felt like Tara was deeper than she ever had been before. Tara slipped a hand around to Maggie's front and began to stroke her clitoris. Maggie still felt very sensitive there after her recent orgasm. She gasped and bucked beneath Tara.

Maggie felt Tara's fingers slide under her hair and along her scalp. Grabbing a handful of Maggie's hair, Tara pulled her head back, forcing Maggie to arch her back and pushing her breasts forward. Maggie was clinging to the headboard with both hands, moaning incoherently.

Tara was still thrusting into Maggie as she began to trail kisses along her shoulder and up her neck, nibbling her earlobe, while all the time maintaining the friction against Maggie's clitoris. Maggie was spiraling towards another climax, she could feel the tension in her building like a tightly coiled spring ready to give at anytime. She could tell by Tara's breathing that she was nearing completion too.

Maggie couldn't help but let out a moan as she felt that now familiar feeling unfurl in her stomach, and then she was crashing helplessly into another mind-numbingly fantastic orgasm.

Tara wasn't far behind her. Tara clung to her as she climaxed, burying herself even deeper in Maggie, groaning her name as she filled Maggie with her seed. They both collapsed onto the mattress, Maggie was flat on her stomach, Tara was lying on top of her, wrapping Maggie in her arms, holding onto her as if her life depended on it.

Maggie felt trapped underneath Tara's weight, her face was buried in her hair. Tara's hot shallow breaths were tickling the back of her neck. Maggie couldn't really move but she realised she wouldn't want to be anywhere else anyway.

After a few moments Tara seemed to remember herself. "Are you okay? I must be heavy."

Before Maggie had a chance to reply Tara had rolled off her. Maggie whimpered at the sudden absence, causing Tara to chuckle as she pulled her onto her side and back into her embrace. They laid in the aftermath of bliss for a few moments, both of them satisfied.

"You know I'll always be there for you and the baby. I'm sorry if I seemed a bit standoffish but I'm ready now. I'm ready for this," Tara let her hand slide down to Maggie's stomach, knowing that their baby was safely in there.

"You sure you're ready?" Maggie asked. She knew Tara had been a bit apprehensive about the whole thing before.

"I'm ready. You're my life now, Maggie. Everything I thought I knew is gone but you're here. I don't know if I'll ever fully regain my memory but I'm ready to make new ones with you. If you want to of course..." Tara said, feeling a bit embarrassed that the romantic side of her was coming out.

"I want to..." Maggie simply replied as Tara couldn't help the grin that formed on her face.

"You're so amazing," Tara gushed as Maggie felt herself start to blush at the compliment. She leaned up to give Tara a kiss before nestling her head back on Tara's shoulder.

Maggie felt the familiar feeling of being in Tara's arms, the feeling of being home and safe. She had missed this feeling throughout these past few days when they had been strangers to one another. Maggie didn't know if Tara would ever regain her memories but she thought they would be alright. They could handle anything as long as they had each other.

"Oh hey I got you and the baby something while I was out with Daryl. It's in my backpack...I gotta go get it," Tara said, hoping Maggie would like her little gift.

With energy levels that Maggie didn't feel capable of she watched Tara spring out of bed and begin pulling on her jeans. Maggie cast another appreciative gaze over Tara's body, she noticed a mark on her shoulder. On closer inspection Maggie realized there were faint teeth marks where she'd bitten Tara in the throes of passion.

"Sorry about that," Maggie smiled as Tara buttoned up her shirt. Tara gave her a big grin.

"I ain't complaining about it. It felt good anyways. Now cover up cuz if someone sees you, I might have to kill them," Tara joked as she opened the door to retrieve her bag real quick.

Tara slowly shut the door behind her as she walked down the short hallway to the living room where her bag was. She saw that Daryl was up on watch, sitting in a chair by the window. Everyone else was spread out around the living/dining area fast asleep, snores filled the air.

Daryl turned to look at her disheveled appearance. Her clothes had been thrown on in a hasty manner and her hair was all messed up. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on in the next room.

"Ya gettin' reacquainted with Maggie? I could hear the bed springs goin' crazy," Daryl laughed as Tara looked a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry about that. Didn't know it was so loud," Tara muttered in a flustered tone.

"It's all good. I'm glad y'all are gettin' along better for what it's worth. Y'all are like soul mates or whatever bullshit you believe in," Daryl chuckled as he looked out the window.

Tara grabbed her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. "You don't want some company? I can come back in a few minutes."

"Nah...I'm good. We can do watch together 'morrow night. Go spend time with your girl," Daryl waved Tara off, wanting her to make more progress with Maggie.

Tara simply nodded as she went back to the room. She opened the door, greeted by the sight of Maggie waiting for her in the bed and the soft melody of the song still playing in the background. Tara had to remember how to breathe as she took in Maggie's beauty.

Maggie's hair was messed up, and the blanket was a disheveled mess around her but Tara thought she was the most gorgeous woman she had ever laid eyes on. Tara realized at that moment she didn't miss her old life. When she had first woken up she had missed it immensely, but now looking at Maggie, Tara realized she was home and she didn't ever want to leave.

"What?" Maggie asked as she noticed that Tara was staring at her.

"Nothin'...you're just so beautiful and I'm so lucky," Tara let slip out words that Maggie was used to hearing. Hearing that made Maggie's heart skip a beat as she remembered that was always Tara's answer when she was caught staring.

Tara stared at Maggie for a few more seconds before she remembered about the gifts she had brought. Tara opened up her backpack and dug around in it.

"It's not much. And it's probably pretty lame but I thought you would like it," Tara said as she produced a stuffed teddy bear from the bag.

"It's so cute like you!" Maggie exclaimed as she took the bear from Tara. She hugged it close to her body, feeling how soft it was.

"You like?" Tara asked with a grin on her face.

"Of course...I love it. It looks just like you," Maggie joked as Tara chuckled.

"I definitely can't say no to being your teddy bear," Tara sat down on the bed as she brought out the other bear.

"This one is for the baby. He or she should have a stuffed animal even during an apocalypse," Tara laughed as Maggie felt her heart swell with love.

She loved how Tara had thought about the baby and brought something back for them. Maggie realized that her earlier fears had been unfounded. Tara was always going to be there for her and their child. They would make new memories and Maggie would help Tara recount her old ones but no matter what the love they shared would keep them together.

Maggie placed her teddy bear on the nightstand next to the CD player that was still going, filling the room with music. She laid back and patted the empty spot next to her.

"Come to bed," Maggie said in a voice that told Tara exactly what she wanted. Tara didn't need to be told twice as she let her bag hit the ground and climbed onto the bed.

Maggie pulled Tara up to her until Tara's body was covering her own. Tara looked into Maggie's beautiful green eyes before leaning down, taking Maggie's soft lips into her own. Maggie let her hands roam through Tara's hair and down her back. She quickly reached between them, unfastening the buttons on Tara's shirt and jeans.

Tara quickly shrugged off her clothes as Maggie caught sight of what she wanted the most. She pulled Tara back down on top of her, feeling the hotness of Tara's cock rub against her belly. Maggie needed Tara more than anything in that moment, she was desperate to feel that connection that only they felt together.

"I need you," Maggie whispered in Tara's ear sending shivers down her body.

Tara kept eye contact with Maggie as she gently slid inside of her, moaning at the sensation invading her body. Maggie couldn't hold in the cries of pleasure as she felt Tara filling her up from within, her body eagerly taking in as much as it could.

Maggie pulled Tara close, her fingernails running up and down Tara's back as the sensation of Tara thrusting in and out filled her body. Maggie hitched her hips up in rhythm to Tara's thrusts, pulling her in even deeper.

Tara closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of Maggie's hair as she buried herself into Maggie's pussy. Tara had never felt so good as she did in that moment, being in Maggie was like access to her own personal heaven. Tara pulled out until only the tip of her cock was left inside before burying herself deep inside of Maggie. She kept up these long, hard strokes as Maggie whimpered and moaned in her ear.

"Oh Tara...Tara..." Maggie whispered hotly in Tara's ear. Hearing her name leave Maggie's lips made Tara's resolve start to unravel. She knew she was close to coming but she wanted this to last as long as possible, the delicious feeling of being encased by Maggie was just too good to rush.

Torturously, Tara held back the impending orgasm that threatened to come loose as she continued to thrust into Maggie. The sweat of Maggie's body covered her as they slid against each other in perfect rhythm to the music that was still playing. Suddenly, Tara knew she wouldn't be able to off any longer.

She reached between them, her fingers finding the sensitive bud of Maggie's clit. Maggie's moans got louder as she felt the sensation of Tara's fingers rub her clit in all the right ways. Maggie's breathing hitched and her cries of pleasure intensified as her orgasm hit her body causing her to tremble in bliss. Tara could feel Maggie's pussy contract and convulse around her cock as a gush of warm wetness covered her already slick cock.

Tara knew she couldn't hold on any longer as she thrusted up into Maggie one last time as an intense orgasm coursed through her body. She felt her cock cum inside of Maggie as she filled up Maggie to the brim with her seed. Spent, Tara collapsed on top of Maggie, all the energy had left her body in those few seconds of euphoria.

Maggie wrapped her arms around Tara's body, loving the feel of Tara's weight on her. After a few minutes, Tara tried to move but felt herself being pinned down by Maggie.

"Stay...I don't want you out yet," Maggie said lazily. Tara simply nodded as she relaxed her body, taking in the scent of Maggie's skin. Tara closed her eyes and allowed herself to surrender to some much needed sleep.

* * *

Maggie woke up a few hours later, greeted by intrusive sunlight streaming in from the blinds that covered the window. She stretched her tired body feeling very relaxed for the first time in days. She waited to see if she would have any morning sickness. When Maggie decided that she was in the clear, she took a look beside her. Tara was laying fast asleep under the covers, one arm covering her eyes against the sun's bright light.

Maggie smiled at the sight of Tara, and she wanted her to sleep but knew it was time for them to get up. She gently shook Tara to wake her up. Tara mumbled a few times before turning onto her side. Maggie giggled to herself, Tara could be hard to get out of bed at times. She shook Tara again, trying to wake her up.

"Come on, Maggie. If Elizabeth isn't bothering you with morning sickness...get back to bed," Tara muttered sleepily as she kept her eyes closed.

Maggie felt her heart stop for a second as she heard one of the baby names they had chosen slip from Tara's lips. Did Tara have her memory back? Before Tara didn't have a clue what the baby names were, and Maggie hadn't told her. Plus, no one else in the family knew since the couple were keeping it to themselves for now. Maggie excitedly shook Tara harder to get her up.

"Jesus Maggie. Can't I get just a few more minutes of sleep. I know you and Peanut like all my attention but I'm tired," Tara said as she yawned, confused about why Maggie looked so happy.

"What's with you?" Tara asked, as she watched her wife smile.

"Do you remember what happened these past couple of years?" Maggie questioned, trying not to get her hopes up.

Tara was confused until she remembered the fight with the Governor, the head injury, how she had been confused about everything. How she didn't even know who Maggie had been. Suddenly, a rush of memories invaded her mind. The deaths of her family, the walker apocalypse, helping Glenn find Maggie, becoming a part of Rick's group, Glenn's death, getting together with Maggie, the slew of opponents they had faced, getting married, finding out Maggie was pregnant. Tara held her head as a headache invaded her senses but she didn't care. She remembered everything now. Tara was back.

"I remember everything now. I'm so sorry I made you doubt my commitment to you and Peanut," Tara apologized as she remembered how standoffish she had been.

"You were scared...you just didn't want to show weakness. I get it. I'm just so glad you're here again. I've missed this version of you," Maggie couldn't help herself as she leaned over to give Tara a kiss.

"We gotta tell the others! Rick, Carol, Daryl, Rosita! Everyone! I've missed them," Tara excitedly claimed as she jumped out of bed to throw on her clothes. Maggie laughed in amusement as Tara stumbled around trying to pull up her jeans.

Tara grabbed Maggie's clothes and threw them at her. "Get dressed so we can go give everyone the news."

Maggie wasted no time putting on her clothes as Tara looked on with adornment. When she was sure that Maggie was fully dressed, Tara opened the door. Taking Maggie's hand, Tara led her outside to where the family was sitting. Tara felt her heartbeat race as she took in the sight of her loved ones. She truly did miss them all, and she needed to apologize to Abraham for being a prick at times.

The others looked up as Tara and Maggie approached them with happy smiles on their faces. Daryl was the first to stand up, knowing what was about to be announced.

"You got your memory back?!" Daryl asked excitedly as Tara nodded her head.

"Yup! It's all back! I'm 100% back!" Tara exclaimed as Daryl pulled her into a brotherly hug. He was so happy that things would be back to normal now.

Rick stood up to give Tara a hug for the first time in days. He was more than happy to have his runner back. Abraham stood up also and wrapped his arms around Tara, happy his friend was her normal self. They had a rough past few days since they butted heads a few times.

"Sorry I was such a dick and tried to fight you a few times," Tara apologized to the red head who waved it off.

"It's all good. I was bein' too hard on you anyways. Didn't I tell you guys sex would work? You have me to thank for gettin' your rocks off," Abraham laughed as he winked at the others.

The excited family spent the next couple of hours just conversing and enjoying having Tara back to her normal self. Rick didn't want to cut the festivities short but they needed to start hitting the road to Washington DC, especially if they wanted to make it to their destination before a harsh winter hit.

"Well, now that Tara is back to her ol' self, we need to hit the road to Washington and the sooner the better. We need to get there before the rough winter hits and we're stuck out in freezin' weather," Rick took a look at his friends before continuing.

"We can scrounge for resources along the way. We're gonna have to walk in the beginnin' but maybe we will find a reliable vehicle on the way. Fact is, we need to be on our way. The days are getting' shorter now," Rick completed his speech as everyone nodded in agreement.

"Fuck, let's get goin' now. No use in stayin' here. We need to get there as soon as possible for the baby," Daryl piped up.

"Hell yeah...let's go!" Abraham threw in his support for the idea.

Rick took a look at his family, seeing that everybody liked the idea. "Alright then. Get packed up so we can hit the road."

Everyone immediately got up to get their things ready. Tara went to the room, grabbing her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder. She watched as Maggie packed up her stuff, sticking a couple of books into her bag. Tara made sure her baby books were in her backpack so she could finish reading them whenever she got a chance.

Soon the whole family was ready for the next part of their journey as they stood on the road, endless pavement in front of them. Rick took a deep breath as he started to walk towards the unknown. The others quickly followed suit as they kept up a good pace. Rick made sure to tell Maggie to let them know when she needed to stop for a rest or if sickness hit her.

Tara walked beside Maggie, their shoulders brushing together as Tara kept a protective eye over her. Tara looked around the woods that surrounded the road, trying to spot any dangers. She held her automatic rifle close, daring anyone to try and mess with Maggie.

Maggie looked over at her and smiled, taking Tara's hand into her own, entwining their fingers together. Tara reached over placing her other hand on Maggie's stomach for a few seconds, silently promising to make sure their baby would always be protected and taken care of.

Tara kept her eyes on the road ahead of them. She didn't know what lay ahead for her growing family but Tara was ready for whatever happened next in this crazy thing called life.

* * *

So Tara got her memory back! Yay! Oh and Alexandria is coming up soon! Yes! Hopefully, they won't hurt Aaron too much when they run into him.

This chapter's song is "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner because I was feelin' pretty corny lol. :P And I was watching the new season of Orange is the New Black and they used this song. And I must confess...its a fave of mine! :)

Thank you once again for all the reviews! I live for readers...lol. :D You guys always make my day.

Gabriela: thank you so much for all the compliments! You flatter me so! Yay! Fistbump back!

Guest: you are definitely my fave anonymous reviewer! :D hope this made your mornin'. And thank you for all the praise...I'm glad you liked all the details. :)

As always thank you guys for everything! Love you all! :)


	21. Dust In the Wind

A/N: I noticed in the first chapter that I said Noah died even though I had planned for him to meet up with the group eventually since I liked his character. But yeah not sure why I did that but I fixed it so hope there's no confusion.

* * *

The road seemed never-ending, the days were long and endles with the sun bearing down on the survivors as they walked on and on. Tara was grateful that it wasn't the heat of summer but the sun seemed to make this journey more unbearable. She kept a close eye on Maggie who seemed to be having the worse time out of everyone.

"How much longer until we're there?" Sasha asked to no one in particular.

"About hundred and fifty miles," Michonne said as there were a few collective groans from the others.

"We'll be alright. We'll find more vehicles. We just gotta keep goin'," Rick tried to motivate his group but could see their drive was dwindling with each mile.

They had managed to find a few vehicles here and there as they crossed state lines but usually the cars broke down or ran out of gas after a few miles so their primary mode of transportation had been walking. The endless walking took a toll on all their bodies as their spirits felt crushed under the weight of so many miles still left ahead.

Also to top it off, their water and food supplies were running dangerously low. Daryl and Tara tried to salvage what they could from passing small towns and houses but they found nothing of significance, just scraps.

Tara and Daryl were walking side by side, the morning sun having no mercy as it shined bright in the sky. Tara lazily held her semi-automatic rifle in her hands, not paying attention to anything. Every once and while, she would make sure Maggie was alright. Maggie was walking ahead of her with Rosita and Carol.

Groans and moans filled Tara's eyes as she turned to see that some walkers were still following their group. They had encountered the herd of walkers a couple of hours ago, but Rick decided they posed no threat if his group kept their distance. Plus, he didn't want them to unnecessarily waste their energy on killing the herd. They needed to preserve as much energy as they could since they didn't know when they would find more food and water.

Suddenly, Tara felt a presence next to her side. She looked over to see Rosita who was handing her half of a granola bar.

"You need to eat something. Both of y'all do. Y'all didn't really eat anything yesterday," Rosita admonished both Tara and Daryl as she held out the granola for one of them to take.

"We had some pecans and some acorns. That's good enough," Daryl muttered. He knew Tara felt the same way as him. They wanted the others to have enough to eat before them, especially Maggie since she was pregnant.

"Here...take this. Please," Rosita begged as Tara finally took the bar. She took one bite before handing it back to Rosita.

"Give the rest to Maggie and tell her that I said to eat it for the baby. Judith and Maggie are the top priorities right now so make sure they get enough," Tara told Rosita who nodded in agreement.

Tara watched as Rosita went back to where Maggie was, handing her the rest of the granola bar. She watched as Maggie tried to refuse it but finally relented and took it. Tara smiled to herself as she watched Maggie from the back of the group. Maggie was starting to finally show with a little baby bump. It wasn't very noticeable unless you really looked for it but Tara had definitely noticed the other day. Tara had to make sure her child was healthy and if that meant she had to eat pecans for the rest of the trip then so be it.

"You wanna see if we can find some more water? Maybe some berries or pecans?" Daryl was bored just walking around, watching the miles pass them slowly by.

"Yeah, let me tell Rick and Maggie," Tara was just as eager to be doing something else than be on autopilot on the road.

Tara slowly jogged to the front, teling Rick that her and Daryl would be in the woods beside the road looking for more water.

"Alright...just be careful. If you aren't back in an hour, we'll stop and wait for y'all," Rick said as he wiped the sweat that was forming on his brow. Tara patted him on the back as she made her way to Maggie.

"Hey, babe. How are you feeling?" Tara asked as she walked beside her wife who looked utterly exhausted.

"I'm alright. No mornin' sickness yet. Just really tired," Maggie answered as Tara put her arm around Maggie's shoulders.

"Here...take a drink," Carol handed Tara a water bottle that was about half full. Tara was going to refuse but from the look on Carol's face she knew she didn't have a choice. Tara took a small drink, savoring the cool water that touched her lips. She forced herself to stop after the sip, giving Carol the bottle.

"Daryl and I are gonna go into the woods for a bit to see if we can find any water or some kind of substance. I'll be back," Tara leaned over, placing a quick kiss on Maggie's lips.

"Be careful out there," Maggie said as she turned to look at Tara. She knew Tara was trying her best to make sure her and the baby were taken care of in these hard circumstances.

"Always am," Tara gave Maggie a wink which set off some butterflies in her stomach. Maggie stopped walking as Tara got down on her knees, placing her head against Maggie's stomach. Tara placed a kiss on her stomach.

"You be good for your mother until I get back," Tara told the baby as Maggie held her close.

Michonne smiled at the scene in front of her. "The baby's not even born, and they have you wrapped around their little finger already," she laughed as Tara shrugged her shoulders.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for their mother also," Tara said as Michonne laughed as she walked by the young married couple.

"Ok, I'll be back in an hour or so," Tara stood up, giving Maggie another kiss before jogging back to where Daryl was waiting for her.

Maggie watched as Tara and Daryl disappeared into the woods. She placed a hand on her stomach, hoping their child wouldn't give her a hard time today. Maggie sighed as she continued on walking. Maggie wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to keep this up. She just hoped that Washington D.C. would be the endpoint they were looking for. Maggie looked up, seeing that Carol and Rosita were waiting for her. She quickly picked up the pace until she was reunited with her friends.

* * *

Tara and Daryl looked around the serene woods, trying to see if there was creek nearby. Daryl looked down at his shoes and saw mud on his boots.

"Look, mud. There has to be some kind of water around here somewhere. Come on," Daryl led the way as Tara followed him, keeping an eye out for more pecans.

Daryl led her through some thick brush and trees until they reached a creek bed. Their excitement was cut short when they realized the creek was completely dried up and fish that had been living in it were dead, rotting away into the soil.

"Fuckin' shit!" Daryl kicked at a tree in frustration. Tara knew the feelings of anguish Daryl was experiencing. They could never catch a break. She sighed as she knelt down, needing a short rest. This whole not really eating and walking for miles was starting to catch up to her but she needed to be strong for Maggie and the baby.

"It's too much apparently to ask for just some goddamn water. It's so fuckin' dry the damn Catholics are givin' rain checks," Daryl sat down next to Tara, his body needing a rest also.

"Just one hundred and fifty more miles," Tara said as Daryl chuckled lightly.

"If we can even make it. We're all lookin' more broke down than buzzard bait," Daryl commented as Tara laughed. She had to admit they were a rough looking group right now.

They sat in silence listening to the birds around them communicating with each other when they suddenly heard a twig snap close by. Tara and Daryl jumped up, looking into the direction of the noise. Daryl got his crossbow ready as Tara steadied her gun, waiting for whatever or whoever to cross their path.

A young, African-American man stumbled into their path, looking surprised and happy to see them. Tara figured he had to be at least twenty years old, and definitely not as experienced in this world as her and Daryl were. He also walked with a slight limp as if an injured ankle hadn't healed correctly.

The young man quickly put his arms in the air, as Daryl reached over and secured the pistol that hung from the kid's belt. Daryl and Tara shared a look, the kid seemed harmless enough.

"You have any other weapons on ya? And ya best not lie to me, boy," Daryl said through gritted teeth as he lowered his crossbow. Tara kept her gun raised on the kid, just in case.

"No...just that pistol. And it only has about two bullets left," the young man said as Daryl looked him over. He was pretty sure the kid in front of him meant no harm to anyone.

"Where ya headed? What's yer story?" Daryl asked as Tara kept her gun raised.

"I'm trying to get home to Richmond, Virginia. My mom and brothers are at the Shirewilt Estates, which is a walled-in community. My uncle left and never came back so my father and I went on a search mission to look for him. We ended up in Atlanta where we were ambushed by some corrupt police officers, who had a woman named Dawn as their leader. They killed my father and kept me prisoner at a hospital but I was able to escape," the young man told the strangers in front of him his back-story.

"Was that hospital Grady Memorial? Did you know Beth?" Daryl asked, feeling a bit of sadness at the mention of the young girl.

"Yeah, I knew Beth. She helped me escape...I owe my life to her. Is she around?" the young man was hopeful at seeing his friend again.

"Nah...Dawn killed her. She didn't make it out of that fuckin' hospital," Daryl held back some tears that threatened to come out. Tara sighed sadly, she knew the subject of Beth was still hard for the group to deal with.

The young man let his gaze fall to the floor as the news hit him like a ton of bricks. Tara could see the news affected him greatly as tears fell down his face. She patted his shoulder trying to comfort him in some way.

"What's your name anyways?" Tara asked as the young man wiped his tears away.

"I'm Noah," he simply said.

"Well, Noah. I'm Tara and this is Daryl. We have a group and you're welcomed to join if you want some company for the rest of your trip. Any friend of Beth's is a friend of ours," Tara said as Daryl nodded in agreement.

Noah looked at the two strangers in front of them. They both looked worse for wear but he probably didn't look any better and they were Beth's friends. He nodded his head as Tara gave him a small smile.

The three of them walked back to their group who were still on the road, walking at a slow pace. Daryl and Tara introduced Noah to Rick, telling him that the young man had known Beth and was heading to Virginia to his family. Noah offered Rick's group a place to rest if they wanted to go to where his family was. Rick thought it over, Noah clearly was harmless. Plus, having a place to rest would be good for the team.

Rick agreed to check out the Estates where Noah's family was and if it seemed safe enough, then his family would stay and rest for a few days before continuing onto to D.C. Tara immediately took Noah under her wing, introducing him to the rest of the group. Noah decided that they were a nice bunch, but he wouldn't want to get on their bad side. They seemed lethal if pressed the wrong way.

"And Noah, this is Maggie. Beth's older sister," Tara finally introduced Noah to Maggie, knowing that her wife would probably want to talk to Noah about Beth.

"You knew Beth?" Maggie mood perked up at the mention of her sister.

Noah nodded his head, "Yeah, she was my only friend at the hospital where we were held."

"Can you tell me about how she was and the last time you saw her?" Maggie asked as she gave Noah a warm smile.

"Yeah, I'll be happy to," Noah said as Tara patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, you guys talk. And don't get too cozy Noah. Maggie's a married woman with a bun in the oven so don't get any ideas," Tara joked as she showed him her wedding ring. Noah nodded in understanding, already liking the goofy side that Tara had.

Tara left the two new friends to talk to one another as she walked beside Abraham who had a bottle of scotch in his hand. He eagerly took a drink of the liquor that they had managed to find in an abandoned liquor store.

"You know that just makes things worse, right? Makes you more thirsty...more hungry," Tara ignored the hunger pangs she felt.

"Yeah, I know but it's better than just wasting away to nothin'. Plus, the alcohol makes you forget that we're in a shit storm with no food or water in sight and we still gotta at least one hundred miles to go with no vehicle around. That all tells me I deserve another drink," Abe raised the bottle to his lips as he took another sip.

"Give me a drink," Tara said as Abraham handed her the bottle. She took a long drink until Daryl came by and told her to cool it down so she wouldn't get sick. Tara handed the bottle back to Abraham and continued to walk on with Daryl. She spotted Maggie who was still talking to Noah. She was glad that Maggie was able to meet one of her sister's friends. Tara knew that Beth's passing weighed heavily on Maggie's mind.

Rick called for Tara and Daryl to meet him in the front. They slowly jogged to the front where Rick was walking at a very slow rate. His eyes looked distant and tired as they walked past trees that seemed to never end.

Rick looked behind the group at the fifteen or so walkers that were slowly crawling their way. He ran his hand through his overgrown beard before speaking.

"We need to stop for the day. I don't think I can keep goin' and I'm sure everyone's beat. We need to get rid of those walkers first though. So let's get to it," Rick commanded as he led Daryl, Tara, and Michonne to the pack of walkers.

Tara watched for a second as Rick and Daryl each grabbed a walker before plunging their knives into the skulls. Michonne easily beheaded two biters with an expert swing of her katana. Tara gathered up what energy she had left, grabbing a walker that was about to pounce on her. She quickly stabbed the creature through the eye before moving onto the next one.

Finally, all of the walkers were just dead heaps on the road. Tara bent down, placing her hands on her knees as she tried to keep her head from hurting. She knew she was basically running on empty at that moment.

"You alright?" Daryl asked with concern as he stood next to her, watching as Rick and Michonne went to tell the group that they were going to rest on the side of the road for the remainder of the evening and night.

"I'm fine...I'm fine," Tara stood up as she ignored the thirst and hunger that ran rampant throughout her body. She gave Daryl a smile as they went to join their family. Tara sat against a tree with Maggie on one side and Daryl on the other.

Rosita tried again to get Tara and Daryl to eat something. Tara took the granola bar, taking one bite before giving the rest to Maggie.

"I can't take it..." Maggie tried to argue as Tara shook her head.

"Take it. You need to eat as much as you can. We need to make sure Peanut is healthy. So take it," Tara said in a tone that told Maggie there was no arguing. Maggie reluctantly took the rest of the granola bar.

"You know I'm just looking out for you and the baby," Tara said, her voice gentle.

"I know..." Maggie gave her a small smile before she leaned over, resting her head on Tara's shoulder. It wasn't long before Maggie fell asleep, Tara wrapped an arm around her waist. She looked around at the others who were eating bits and pieces of granola bars and energy bars.

"Here," Daryl reached into his pocket and pulled out eight pecans. He cracked them open with a rock, handing her four.

"Bon appėtit," Tara let out a small laugh as her and Daryl ate the pecans. The small portion of food did nothing to hinder the hunger her stomach felt, but at least it was something.

"I don't 'bout ya, but that was the best damn meal I've had in a while," Daryl joked as Tara laughed.

"Hopefully, Noah's settlement will have something more filling than pecans," Tara said as she took a look at the others. Most of them were laying on the dirt ground, trying to get some kind of sleep. Father Gabriel was seated a little ways from everyone else, busy praying by himself. Tara hoped he was praying for donuts to rain down on them. That made her chuckle as Daryl gave her a weird look.

"You sure you're alright?" Daryl asked with some concern.

"I'm fine...maybe just a little delirious," Tara answered as she closed her eyes, resting her head against the tree behind her.

"Well, snap out of it. I don't want to have to put ya down," Daryl joked as they both laughed for a couple of minutes. Daryl leaned against the tree behind him and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the hunger pangs that plagued his body.

The rundown family spent the rest of the night trying to ignore the thirst and hunger that they all felt, knowing they needed to conserve as much food as they could. They could only hope that Noah's community could be a sanctuary for the family until they were rested enough to continue on to Washington D.C.

* * *

The family continued on their way for the next couple of days until Noah announced that they were only a few miles away from Shirewilt Estates where his family was. Tara was glad that they were close, she wasn't sure she could go another day on only a few pecans and an occasional sip of water.

Rick knew that Noah was excited about seeing his family, but he wanted to make sure everyone was safe. He remembered what had happened the last time they had tried to visit a community and Rick wasn't going to take any chances.

"Alright...Noah, Daryl, Tara, Michonne, and I are gonna check out this community and see if it's safe. Hopefully, it is and we can rest there for a few days, but I want the rest of you to stay here and just wait until we get back. No use in wasting everyone's energy if this turns out to be a bust," Rick told the others of his plan as they all agreed to it.

"We're about ten miles away," Noah said with excitement in his voice. He really couldn't wait to see his mother and brothers again.

Tara said her goodbyes to Maggie and the baby before joining the others who were waiting on the road. The small group of five followed Noah down the pavement until they were about two miles away from the Estates. That was when Rick stopped much to Noah's confusion.

"We're gonna approach this place off the road just to be safe," Rick announced as he started to enter the woods.

"It will be safe. We don't have any snipers or lookouts. Just a perch that was built on a truck that is sometimes parked in the front," Noah began to argue as Rick gave him a look.

"Look, I'm sure it is safe but I want to do this just in case. We've been through a lot of shit these last few months. I don't want to take my chances," Rick said as Noah nodded in understanding.

Satisfied that Noah understood where he was coming from, Rick continued to enter the woods with Noah leading the way. The small group walked until they came upon what looked like a gated community that had a red brick wall surrounding the pristine houses within it. Noah immediately ran to the entrance with the others following close behind.

"Noah wait..." Tara started to say but was ignored.

Noah tried to open the gate, but it was locked. They suddenly heard some noises from the other side. Noah gave them a panicked look before he started to climb the gate.

"Goddamnit Noah, hold on!" Tara yelled as Noah quickly climbed the gate, disappearing to the other side.

Tara gave the others a look before she started to climb the gate. The others quickly followed suit. Tara jumped down to the other side, landing perfectly beside Noah. The others dropped beside them until everyone was inside the gate. Tara looked as she saw that there were walkers everywhere.

Noah took a look at the scene unfolding in front of him before he fell to his knees, tears running down his face. Tara placed a hand on her shoulder to steady him as sobs wretched through his weak body. Rick took a sad look at the young man, wishing the outcome had been different for him.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but let's see if there's anything useful around here. Any weapons, food, water, let's see what we can find," Rick gave Noah a pat on the back as he helped him to his feet.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Tara offered as Rick nodded in agreement. She watched as Rick, Daryl, and Michonne started to enter different houses, killing walkers that got in the way.

"Come on, man. Let's check out this garage," Tara gently led Noah to a house that had the garage door wide open. Noah sat down on the driveway, grieving the loss of his family. Tara decided to leave him be as she searched through the garage. She picked up a baseball bat that was thrown on the ground. She laughed to herself as she thought about how many times a bat had almost killed her.

"You know...I know what you're going through. I lost my whole family a while back. My father died of cancer. My sister, niece, and girlfriend...I lost them all on the same day. I wanted to die. I just wanted to give up. I didn't think I had anything to live for anymore," Tara recounted the day when she had lost everyone who had meant something to her.

"What made you keep going?" Noah asked, looking at her through his tear stained eyes.

"This guy named Glenn, who would become my best friend, found me and needed my help to find his wife so I was determined to help him. I had other reasons too which we can get into some other time. But after I lost Glenn, I felt helpless again but Maggie gave me a reason to keep going. Now her and our baby are why I push through and fight to live. It's hard but soon you'll find a reason to live again," Tara explained as Noah listened closely to her words.

Noah nodded in understanding, looking around at the desolate community that had once been his home. Suddenly, he spotted his home in the distance. Noah immediately jumped up and began to run into the direction of his house, hoping against hope that someone in his family was still alive.

"Noah, wait!" Tara yelled as she ran after him, the baseball bat in her hand.

Noah dodged a couple of walkers as he ran up the front steps of his former home, bursting through the door. Tara followed, swinging the bat at walkers that tried to grab at her. She finally made it to the front door and ran in. She stopped in the living room where Noah was knelt down beside the body of a woman.

"I tried to get back..." Noah whispered to the body of his mother.

Tara looked around until she found a blanket. She also noticed that the body didn't have any bites which meant someone had murdered the dead woman on the floor. She covered up the body of Noah's mother as he looked on in sadness. They both stood there for a few minutes as Noah processed what was going on.

"We should get going," Tara said as Noah nodded. They were heading to the door when they heard noises coming from upstairs. They both looked at each other as Tara tilted her head in the direction of the stairs. Slowly, they both walked up the stairs, being sure to be as quiet as possible. Tara handed Noah the baseball bat since she had her knife.

"You check those rooms down the hall. I'll take these," Tara directed as Noah went down the hall to his assigned rooms.

Tara slowly opened the door, revealing what used to be a young boy's room. Tara looked around, seeing a photo of what used to be Noah's twin brothers. She stared at the photo for a few minutes, realizing that the tiredness had caught up to her. Tara suddenly felt a bit dizzy as the strain she put on her body was finally too much. A cool breeze came in through a broken window, Tara was vaguely aware of the broken glass that she was stepping on.

She almost didn't hear the walker behind her before it was too late. Tara felt something grab her as she quickly turned around to see the walker of a young boy preparing to bite down on her arm. She pushed the walker back as she grabbed for her knife. The walker took a few steps back before coming back towards her. Tara was ready, taking a few steps back to put some distance between them.

Unfortunately, Tara didn't see the chair behind her until it was too late. She ran into it as it sent her falling to the floor, forcing her arm to go into an awkward angle. Tara was sure she had dislocated her shoulder somehow as pain shot from the area. She forgot about the pain as the walker advanced on her, its eager teeth chomping at her neck. Tara reached behind her until she felt a guitar or some sort of instrument. She slammed the instrument into the walker's head, effectively ending its life.

Just then, Noah ran into the room after hearing all the commotion. He saw the blood and came to the conclusion that Tara had been bitten. Before Tara could tell him otherwise, she heard Noah running out of the house, yelling for help.

Tara pushed the walker off of her as she sat against the wall and waited for the others. She rubbed her injured shoulder, knowing it was probably going to have to be popped back into place. She then noticed that a piece of jagged window glass was stuck in her forearm. No wonder Noah had thought she had been bitten. Why did everything always have to happen to her? Tara wondered as she tried to pull the glass out of her arm. The pain was too much forcing her to decide that Daryl or Rick could do that.

Meanwhile, Noah ran until he finally found the others who were looking through the garage of a house. He quickly got their attention.

"Help! It's Tara! She got bit!" Noah screamed as the others dropped what they were doing and ran into his direction.

"Where was she bit?" Daryl asked in a panic. He definitely wasn't expecting this to happen on this run.

"Her arm!" Noah yelled back as he led the others to his old house.

"Fuck!" Daryl yelled in frustration. He wasn't sure if he could amputate one of Tara's arms, but if that's what needed to be done, he would do it.

The group ran as fast as they could to the vacant house, disposing of walkers that dared to get into their way. Everyone could feel the seconds ticking by too fast as their way to Tara seemed never-ending. Daryl ran through the door first, quickly taking the stairs three at a time.

Daryl finally made it to the room where Tara was and felt his heart stop as he took a look at her. There was blood on her forearm and she was sitting against the wall, eyes closed. Daryl knelt down next to her, unsure if they were too late. The others finally caught up to him as everyone crowded into the room.

Tara opened her eyes as she looked at the shocked faces staring back at her. She could see that her friends were almost close to tears.

"Geez, guys no need to get all choked up for a dislocated shoulder and some glass. I'm not dying...or at least I hope not," Tara gave them a small smile despite the pain she was feeling.

"You weren't bit?" Rick asked, letting out a huge sigh of relief.

"Nah...almost though. I got a piece of glass stuck in my arm," Tara said, showing them the jagged piece that was sticking out of her arm.

"Fuck...I thought you were bit. I'm sorry for getting everyone all panicked," Noah apologized, but he was glad his friend was alright.

"It's alright...would rather this happen anyways," Michonne let Noah know that everything was forgiven.

"Alright, let me pull that glass out and pop yer shoulder back into place," Daryl ordered as Tara stood up to sit on the bed.

"Yes, sir, Dr. Dixon," Tara sarcastically said as the others laughed. Tara took a deep breath as Daryl quickly pulled the offending glass out of her flesh. Michonne quickly covered the wound with a white bandage that she had found in a bathroom.

"Alright...now the hard part. This is gonna hurt like a son of a bitch, ya know that, right?" Daryl asked as Tara nodded.

"Just do it..." Tara closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as Daryl got into the position he needed to be in to pop her shoulder back into place.

Daryl roughly grabbed her arm and tried to put the bone back into the socket where it belonged. He didn't have much luck the first time. He tried again but to no avail.

"Fuckin' shit," Tara yelled out in pain as Daryl let her go.

"Let me try," Michonne suggested when she saw that Daryl wasn't having much luck.

"Take a deep breath and just relax," Michonne instructed as Tara did as she was told. Michonne carefully pulled Tara's arm as she winced in pain. She pulled until she finally heard the popping sound of the arm bone going back into its socket.

"How's that?" Michonne asked as Tara moved her arm more freely than she had been able to before.

"Better. Just sore now. Thanks," Tara rubbed her injured arm, thankful it was just sore now.

"Let's get out here. The others are probably wonderin' where we are," Rick said as he led the group out of the house.

"Ya sure yer ok?" Daryl asked Tara as she nodded her head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've had worse injuries. I just won't be able to do any handstands anytime soon," Tara joked as Daryl gave her a grin.

As they walked through the front gates, they noticed something written on the walls around the community. Sprayed painted on the brick walls were the words, "Wolves were here."

"What do you think it means?" Rick asked as Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe some other ruthless group we're gonna encounter soon," Daryl answered, hoping that he would be wrong.

The small group quietly left the abandoned community to get back to their loved ones. They had managed to find just a little bit of food and water but it was better than nothing. Noah remained to himself as Tara wrapped her good arm around his shoulder to give him a hug of support. He gave her a small smile of appreciation.

"If you ever need to talk or anything, just let me know," Tara made sure Noah knew he could tell her anything in confidence.

They finally made it back to the others with Carol there to greet them. Maggie immediately took notice of the bandage on Tara's arm and the way it looked limp and in pain.

"What happened?" Maggie asked with worry. Tara was always finding a way to hurt herself. She was surprised they had gone a few days without Tara tripping or injuring herself somehow before now.

"Just a walker mishap," Tara answered nonchalantly as Maggie's eyes grew wide.

"Did you get scratched?" Maggie could feel panic fill her body, wondering why the others weren't more alarmed.

"No, baby. Nothin' like that. I got cut by a piece of glass and dislocated my shoulder but Michonne popped it back into place. You know, normal stuff I manage to get into," Tara laughed as Maggie gave her a look telling her that she wasn't amused.

"You're not funny," Maggie gave Tara a look that said otherwise.

"You hear that Peanut? Mommy says I'm not funny. I think I'll let you be the judge of that," Tara talked to Maggie's stomach. Maggie just shook her head at Tara's antics.

"Alright, we can walk a few miles until we need to stop for the night. Noah's community was a bust. We keep headin' towards Washington D.C," Rick told the others as he continued to lead the way with the others following.

Tara put her arm around Maggie's waist as she led her in the direction the rest of the group was walking in. The family walked for a couple more hours until they finally decided to stop for the night. Judith's hungry cries filled the air as she refused the water that Carl tried to give her, wanting some kind of real substance.

Rick and Michonne tried to soothe Judith the best they could but they knew nothing would hinder her cries except food. Tara and Daryl listened to Judith's cries knowing they needed to do something. Tara knew that if it was her child crying she would be thankful for any help.

"I saw a sign that said there was convenience store 'bout ten miles away from here. We should go check it out real quick. It's dark but we just gotta be quick. Judith's cries will attract walkers if we aren't careful," Daryl said to Tara who agreed with his plan.

They told Rick that they planned to make a quick run for Judith and hopefully they would find some kind of supplies. Rick reluctantly agreed to let his runners go on the mission. Tara quickly said her goodbyes to Maggie and the baby before her and Daryl walked the ten miles to the store.

The duo walked a fast pace to the convenience store which stood abandoned and desolate. They would be lucky to find anything useful in the building but they still had to try. Daryl quietly opened the door, shining his flashlight around to attract any walkers that were trapped. None made their way to the front and it was dead quiet.

"Guess there's no walkers in here. Be careful...let's quickly scout this place and get back to the others," Daryl said as they made their way up and down the isles, looking for anything.

Tara couldn't believe her luck when she found four jars of baby food and some applesauce. It wasn't much but it would last Judith at least a few days. She was also able to find some more granola bars for the others. Daryl was soon next to her, looking around the isle with her.

"Find anything?" Tara asked.

"Just a couple of bottles of water and this small bag of chips which I'm gonna eat some of cuz I'm starvin'," Daryl opened the bag of potato chips and put a couple in his mouth.

Tara showed him the food she had found for Judith and the extra granola bars. Daryl nodded as he handed her the other half of the chips. Tara tried to refuse.

"Come on...we haven't ate real food in days. We need this to keep up our strength to protect our family if need be," Daryl knew that would get Tara to eat as she took the chips from him.

Tara finished off the bag as they made their way back to the others, both of them walking at a brisk pace so Judith could get something to eat as soon as possible. Finally, they spotted their family as Judith's cries filled the night air. Tara quickly gave the baby food to Rick as he profusely thanked both of his friends. Judith's cries were quickly muffled as Michonne feed the baby some of the baby food.

Tara smiled when she saw the baby girl eagerly eat the food. She was glad Judith's hunger was satisfied for the time being. Tara looked around, seeing that everyone was already asleep. She saw Maggie was sitting against a tree, out like a light. The air around them was cool as she saw Maggie shiver just bit. Tara sat down next to Maggie, who immediately cuddled into her as if on instinct.

Daryl sat next to Tara as he studied the others for a minute. "Did ya feel...I don't know...watched tonight?" he asked as Tara shook her head.

"You think someone's following us?" Tara asked as Daryl shrugged.

"I don't know. I have a feelin' like we are but maybe I'm just paranoid from lack of rest, water, and grub," Daryl laid down on the ground to get some sleep. Tara stayed up for a couple of hours keeping watch on everyone until her body finally succumbed into a restless slumber.

* * *

The next few days were spent traveling on the lonely road with barely any food or water. Tara always made sure that Maggie had her share of the food. Maggie tried to refuse but Tara would bring up the baby until Maggie finally relented. They both wanted a healthy baby after all.

They had spent half the day walking nonstop, everyone's spirits and motivation was at an all time low. Even Tara wasn't in a cheerful, playful mood like she usually was. She kept to the back away from everyone as she tried to ignore the tiredness that consumed her.

They passed a few cars and a few members checked through the vehicles to see if there was anything useful. Of course, none of the cars were in usable condition. Tara watched as Maggie opened the trunk of one car, looked in it for a few minutes before closing the trunk again. Maggie started to walk away but thought better of it before trying to get the trunk open again. She tried to get it open but it wouldn't budge. Tara watched as Maggie frantically tried to open the trunk again.

Tara finally made her way to Maggie, gently placing her arms on Maggie's shoulders to push her gently to the side. Tara opened the trunk to see a female walker that was tied up with rope. Tara could see that there were no bites on the body, so that meant someone had tied up the woman and left her for dead. Tara took her knife and plunged it into the walker's skull. She took a look at Maggie who continued to silently walk on. This journey certainly was taking its toll on all of them.

Tara simply sighed as she heard a whistle. She looked up to see Daryl motioning for her to come into his direction. She slowly jogged over to the edge of the woods where he was standing.

"Want to see if we can find some water?" Daryl asked as Tara nodded. "Hey! Captain America if Rick asks tell him that Tara and I went to go search for some water." Daryl yelled at Abraham as the red head acknowledged him with a nod.

Tara and Daryl walked around the woods trying to see if there was a creek of any kind but they only found a dried up river bed. They continued on until they found an abandoned barn and decided to take a quick rest. Tara watched as Daryl pulled a pack of menthols from his pocket, handing her one. Tara lighted the cigarette with her lighter, savoring the first drag as the nicotine helped calm her nerves.

"Hopefully, by the looks of these clouds, we'll get some kind of rain tonight," Daryl observed the clouds above them as he puffed on his smoke.

"That would be great. Maybe it will put everyone in a good mood again," Tara sighed as she finished up her cigarette, flicking the butt out onto the pebbles in front of them. Daryl followed suit as they stood up to join the others.

They both noticed that everyone was staring at something on the road. They both quickly made their way to their family to see what everyone was looking at. They saw a few bottles of water and a gallon on the road. Attached to the bottles was a note that read, "From a Friend."

Tara and Daryl looked at Rick who was contemplating their next move. The water could be a blessing but it could also be a curse.

"Someone's followin' us...this could be poisoned for all we know," Rick said as he stared at the bottles. He wanted nothing more than to drink a full bottle right then and there but he restrained himself.

"Someone's gotta test it...quality assurance, right?" Eugene said as he quickly grabbed a water bottle, unscrewing the top to take a drink. Before the sweet water could touch his dry lips, the bottle was knocked away by Abraham who glared at his friend.

"You idiot! That could be tainted water!" Abraham gruffly yelled as Eugene shrank back behind Rosita.

"Let's get a few miles between us and this water. Then we can take a quick rest before we continue on," Rick decided as the family walked to a resting spot underneath some shaded trees.

Tara noticed that Maggie kept looking at her, giving her a look that she couldn't quite read. Maggie sighed in frustration as she leaned against a tree.

"What's wrong?" Tara asked, genuinely concerned about her wife.

"Nothin'...it'll pass," Maggie muttered as she fidgeted with the rings on her finger.

"Just tell me...maybe I can help you out," Tara pleaded, wondering what was wrong with Maggie.

"Oh you can help me out alright...I'm beyond horny right now with these hormones. Which I know isn't right because we've been walkin' for days and you're really tired, low on energy. You know what? Just forget I said anythin'..." Maggie tried to backtrack what she was saying as Tara chuckled at the situation.

"You should know I'm never too tired to please my girl. Although the most I can do right now is a quickie if you're up for it," Tara suddenly felt very turned on.

"Yeah...a quickie will work," Maggie said desperately as she grabbed Tara's hand, leading her away from the others. Tara made sure to let Rick know they would be back in a few minutes. Tara ignored the knowing stares and smiles from the others as she led Maggie a good distance away.

* * *

As soon as Tara made sure there was no danger around, she pulled Maggie towards her, crashing their lips together. Needing no further encouragement, Maggie ground herself against Tara enjoying the feel of Tara's erection hard against her. Their bodies molded against each other as they kissed deeply for several minutes before they breathlessly broke away.

They heard some thunder in the distance as the clouds above them threatened to drop rain on them at any second. A cool breeze made its way around their bodies as the sun was covered by the puffy clouds.

Tara leaned into Maggie again, pushing her up against a tree. They had only spent a few minutes making out when the rain started. Within seconds, it was raining harder and harder until it was belting down furiously. Tara and Maggie looked at each other before laughing out loud. Maggie's shirt was soaked through and was clinging to her body, her nipples painfully erect because of the sudden coldness. Tara was already feeling hornier than ever as she took a look at Maggie, thinking she looked so sexy in the pouring rain.

"Well, we can't get any wetter," Tara remarked as she pulled Maggie to her, kissing Maggie's neck and shoulders. Completely oblivious the world around her, Tara ran her hands all over Maggie's body, caressing, stroking and squeezing.

Tara turned Maggie so she was facing away from her as she continued kissing her shoulders. Maggie allowed herself to sink back against the body behind her as Tara's hands cupped her breasts, capturing Maggie's nipples between her thumb and index finger. Tara teased Maggie as she continued kissing along her shoulders.

Maggie moaned as she felt Tara's hands work their magic on her. She was feeling so turned on she had to lean back against Tara for support or she thought she would fall over. As Maggie pushed back, she could feel the hardness of Tara's erection pushing against her.

Maggie's legs felt weak, she was not sure they would be able to support her body weight. Tara's fingers on her nipples were sending bolts of delicious electricity through her body, it felt as if her clit was somehow attached as it seemed to pulse in time with Tara's manipulations.

The rain beating down on their bodies and the fact that they were outdoors and could be caught at any moment only added to the excitement. Maggie let out a long low moan as one of Tara's hands made its way down the front of her body and slipped into her jeans, feeling her excited clit.

Maggie felt as Tara quickly unbuttoned the jeans and pulled them down, before returning her hand to her clit. Maggie involuntarily moved her legs wider apart to give Tara greater access. Maggie thought she would scream as Tara's hand came into contact with her pussy, she had never felt such undisguised lust as she pushed herself against Tara's hand.

Tara cupped Maggie's pussy allowing her middle finger to slip between Maggie's folds; she was amazed at the hot wetness that she felt. With the long, slow build up that happened earlier, Maggie was already so turned on. Tara knew she didn't want to wait much longer.

As soon as Tara touched Maggie's clit again, Maggie gasped and thrust herself against Tara's hand. Tara kept up a steady rhythm with her fingers until Maggie went very quiet and very still before suddenly, Tara felt her convulsing as she had her first powerful orgasm. Tara held Maggie tightly with one arm around her waist as she felt Maggie shudder against her. Tara's other hand still busy caressing Maggie's pussy and touching her clit.

Still facing away from her, Maggie reached behind, hurriedly unzipping Tara's jeans. Maggie was still gasping as Tara's fingers kept on stimulating her clit, drawing her closer to another quick orgasm. Never had Maggie cum so fast or felt so turned on as she was now. Maggie managed to get a grip on Tara's jeans and quickly tugged them down, only stopping as they got caught.

Tara removed her grip from around Maggie's waist and helped to drop her jeans and boxers to her knees, freeing her painfully erect cock. Tara pushed Maggie's back so she was bending away from her then took hold of her cock and guided it towards Maggie's pussy where she held it against her.

On feeling Tara's cock touch her, Maggie immediately pushed backwards taking Tara all the way in. Maggie gasped at the pleasure she felt as Tara started to move slowly in and out of her. Tara's fingers were still rubbing Maggie's clit bringing her closer and closer to another orgasm.

"Yes! Harder, Tara! Hard and fast!" Maggie gasped.

Tara kept the pressure on Maggie's clit as she started to pump her cock deeply in and out of Maggie. After the continual teasing and seeing Maggie so turned on, Tara knew she wouldn't be able to last very long. Maggie felt the orgasm building up within her as Tara's cock pumped in and out of her, hitting her g-spot while Tara's fingers worked magic on her clit.

Maggie moaned as she felt the intense orgasm hit throughout her body, ripples of pleasure waving through her flesh as her pussy contracted around Tara's stiff cock. Tara felt a rush of wetness hit the tip of cock as she felt Maggie's orgasm from within. Tara couldn't stop her own orgasm as she drove herself furiously in and out of Maggie a couple of more times before cumming deep within her, filling her pussy.

Tara stayed deep inside of Maggie as they both shuddered and gasped at the amazing orgasms they had just experienced. After several minutes, Tara's cock slipped out of Maggie and she turned, throwing her hands around Tara's neck, kissing her hard.

"Wow...that was something else," Maggie said as rain continued to fall onto them.

"Yeah, no kidding. Pretty amazing for a quickie if I do say so myself," Tara laughed as she pulled up jeans and watched as Maggie did the same.

"More than amazin'..." Maggie smiled, feeling content and satisfied. Tara thought Maggie looked absolutely gorgeous with the rain coming down on her, sliding off her delicate skin.

Tara grabbed Maggie's hand. "Come on, let's get back before Daryl comes looking for us."

Tara had to admit she was tired from all the vigorous activity that had just taken place but her spirits were up as Maggie gave her a beautiful smile. Tara knew she would do anything for Maggie to make sure she was happy. The young couple made their way back to their group, both of them in much better moods.

* * *

The rain was still falling hard as they reached the rest of their family. Everyone was in high spirits as they enjoyed the rain drops that fell onto them. Tara laughed as she saw Rosita lay down on the road, enjoying the rain that wet her body.

"Make sure to fill up every bottle, bag, whatever with water," Rick ordered as the others followed instructions. Tara made sure that a couple of water bottles she had in her bag were filled with fresh rain water.

The rain celebration was cut short as they heard a loud clash of thunder in the distance. Tara looked into the direction of the rumble and saw dark, black clouds. She could tell it was the beginnings of a storm that could produce a tornado.

"We need to get off the road. Find some kind of shelter to weather out this storm," Rick shouted over another rumble of thunder. Tara felt Maggie scoot close to her as she wrapped a comforting arm around her. Tara knew Maggie had a fear of thunderstorms, feeling her jump with every clash of lightening and thunder.

"Tara and I found a barn not too far from here. It should hold throughout the night," Daryl said as he began to lead the others towards the barn that had been discovered earlier.

The old barn had clearly seen better days but at least it was some kind of shelter from the violent looking storm. Rick opened the door, stepping in first, closely followed by Tara and Daryl.

They quickly cleared the barn, not finding any hidden walkers or humans. Rick yelled for the others to enter the barn and make themselves somewhat comfortable.

Daryl made a small fire as he, Rick, Carol, and Michonne sat around the dancing flames. Tara checked on Maggie who was laying down on the ground ready to get some rest.

"I'm gonna stay up for a bit," Tara told her as she leaned down to give Maggie a kiss. Maggie simply nodded as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the sound of thunder that rattled all around them.

Tara nodded to Abraham and Rosita who were sitting against a wall as she made her way to the fire and sat down next to Daryl. Rick took a look around at the group that surrounded him. They were literally running on little to no food or water. They barely had any supplies except for the clothes on their backs and the weapons in their hands. They were a downtrodden looking bunch who had survived so much, but looked like they wouldn't survive much longer.

Rick let out a little chuckle, "We've been through so much. Lost so much. Lost so many loved ones. I think kids have it easier nowadays. They get to grow up in this world...Judith, Carl, and eventually your kiddo, Tara. They'll grow up in this world, and it'll be nothin' to them. It's us. The adults who have to get used to it. We've been through it for two years already and still not used to this world."

Michonne let the words that Rick said settle in. "This isn't the world. It just isn't," she insisted as Tara listened on.

"It is. Until we see otherwise," Rick sighed as he saw the family's motivation was at an all time low. He licked his chapped lips before he began a story.

"My grandfather was a World War II vet. When I was a kid, I used to ask him if he ever killed anyone. He would never answer. Instead, he told me how he survived the war and the people tryin' to kill him. Every day, he woke up and told himself, 'Rest in peace; now get up and go to war," Rick said, looking around as everyone was intrigued with his story.

Rick continued, "After a few years of pretendin' he was dead, he made it out alive. That's the trick of it. We do what we need to do, and then we get to live. No matter what we find in in D.C., I know we'll be alright. This is how we survive: We tell ourselves that we are the walking dead."

Everyone stayed silent as Rick's words sank in, even Maggie had delayed sleep to listen to the story. The strong wind and loud thunder continued to whip around the barn.

"We ain't them. We ain't those creatures," Daryl angrily said as he got up to walk around the barn, not quite sure why that story made him upset.

Daryl walked to the door of the barn, looking out of the small crack between the two doors. What he saw made his heart stop as lightening flashed to show about fifty walkers trying to push their way through the door. There was a big crash against the door as Daryl threw his body weight against the door, pushing all his strength against the door.

Maggie who had been laying by the entrance heard all the commotion and saw Daryl struggling against the advancing herd. She immediately added her weight to the door, taking ahold of Daryl's hand in a sign of unity.

Soon the crash and bangs against the weak barn door caught the attention of everyone else as they quickly rushed to the door and threw their weight against the door. Tara took Maggie's spot against the door, wanting to be the first to encounter the walkers if they were able to break in. Maggie threw her weight against Tara's body as everyone put all their energy and strength into making sure the door didn't break.

The thunder grew stronger as tornado like winds rattled the walls of the barn, lightening flashing bright all around them. Just when their strength was about to run out, the weight against the door became less and less as the howling winds whirled around the barn, buckets of rain falling from the sky.

Finally, there wasn't any walker weight against the door as the family gave each other exhausted looks. Trying to keep the walkers out of the barn had taken everyone's strength as they all finally settled in for restless night with the storm lingering on around them.

The next morning, Maggie woke up feeling nauseous. She turned to see that Tara was still sound asleep, holding her close. Maggie quietly removed herself from Tara's embrace before looking around. She saw that everyone was still passed out, except Sasha who was sitting against the wall.

"You wanna come outside with me? I'm feelin' sick and I don't really want to throw up in here," Maggie asked as Sasha nodded. Maggie helped Sasha to her feet before they quietly opened the door. Maggie could barely take in the sight before her. Trees had been uprooted and pieces of walkers' bodies were spewed everywhere.

"We should have died last night," Sasha observed as she took in all the destruction around them.

"Yeah, I know. My daddy always used to say everythin' happens for a reason. Maybe us survivin' is the reason. I turned my back on my faith but maybe it's time to embrace it again," Maggie said as she sat down under a tree still standing upright, watching the sun rise in the distance. Sasha sat down next to her.

"How are you holding up with the loss of Beth, Glenn, and your dad?" Sasha asked as she watched the sunrise also.

"I'm gonna be ok. I wish I could talk to Tara about it at times. I wish she would open up more 'bout how she feels 'bout losin' her family but you know how stubborn she can be," Maggie smiled as she thought about Tara.

"Yeah, she can be very stubborn," Sasha let out a little laugh.

"How are you holdin' up with Tyreese bein' gone?" Maggie asked the woman next to her.

"It's hard, but I'm pushing through as best as I can," Sasha gave Maggie a small smile. They were silent for a few minutes.

"How's the baby doing?" Sasha questioned when she saw Maggie place her hand on her stomach.

"Baby is doin' great. Right now, she's not givin' me any trouble," Maggie answered as Sasha beamed.

"So it's gonna be a girl, huh?" Sasha laughed as Maggie nodded.

"I really think it is...I just have this feelin'," Maggie was pretty sure that her and Tara would be welcoming a little girl soon.

The women's light hearted conversation was cut short as they suddenly noticed that a stranger was approaching them cautiously. Sasha and Maggie immediately raised their guns in the direction of the man who had his hands up in surrender. The man looked to be about thirty years old with brown hair and a clean shaven face. He was very clean with not a speck of dirt on his plaid shirt or jeans. He had a warm smile that could put anyone at ease.

The man gave the two women a cheerful smile. "Hello. My name's Aaron. Can I please speak to your leader? I have some good news."

* * *

Alexandria is comin' up in the next chapter! Maybe Team Family's luck will change since they've been goin' through some rough times lately. Are they finally gonna have a safe place to stay? Will they be able to fit in? And who are the Wolves? Are they gonna be a threat?

This chapter's song is "Dust In the Wind" by Kansas. Every time I hear this song I always envision someone goin' on a long walk...

As always thank you my faithful readers for all your reviews, views, messages, faves, and follows. They definitely make my day and some of you really know how to flatter me lol.

Random Guest: thank you for the compliment. I like to think I listen to good music.

Gabriela: I'm pretty sure I was grinnin' like a an idiot when I wrote that chapter. I'm just a hopeless romantic at times. :D thank you for your awesome review.

As always thank you guys for everything! Love y'all!


	22. Shattered

A/N: So...you guys miss me yet? I'm still alive! Sorry that this is a week late but I got sick and couldn't write much. But I'm back to full health! :D

* * *

Maggie and Sasha carefully brought Aaron back to the barn, their guns trained on him, never wavering. Maggie slowly opened the door to see if anyone else was awake. She saw that the others were up and about.

"Rick...this is Aaron. We took his weapons and gear. He's alone," Maggie announced as she and Sasha led an unfamiliar man into the barn.

Daryl, Rick, and Tara immediately stood up and marched up to the stranger. Daryl patted the man down, looking for any hidden weapons besides the one pistol that Maggie was holding.

"He said he has a camp nearby that he wants us to all audition for membership," Sasha said as the others took in the news.

Rick glared at the man as Tara kept her gun trained on him. Daryl grabbed Aaron's bag and emptied the contents onto the floor. Out fell a flare gun, some photos, and some jars of food.

"Well, it's not a camp. More like a community. I think you would be valuable assets to our society. Look at the photos, the first one is the most important one," Aaron tried to convince the people in the barn that he wasn't out to hurt them. Rick inspected the first photo that had fallen out of Aaron's bag.

"I know safety is important. The first photo is of the walls that surround our community. Those walls are very secure, reinforced with strong material that ensures nothing will break in. Our community is strong but with all of you...we could be stronger. Our community could be the place for you. Ultimately, it's not my call if you can stay but my job is to convince you all to come back with me," Aaron pleaded his case as Rick let the photo he was holding fall to the hay covered ground.

"I don't trust him. How many of your people are there?" Rick waved his gun in Aaron's face as Maggie handed the gun that Aaron had on him to Tara. Tara checked out the small pistol before sticking it into the waistband of her jeans.

"I'm telling you…this community is a godsend to you all. We have strong walls surrounding our society and nothing will get in unless we let it. We could use people of your skills to help us thrive and survive. I know y'all are good people. I have been tracking you for the past few days, I've seen how you all are starving but don't turn on each other. My job is to convince you all to come back and audition. Well, not audition…that makes us sound like some kind of dance team…" Aaron repeated himself as Rick marched up to him.

Aaron gave him a polite smile, not anticipating the powerful punch that Rick delivered into his face. Aaron fell to the ground as the others jumped back. Daryl took the opportunity to grab some rope and tie up the stranger. Maggie gave the others a concerned look before she grabbed a towel and placed it on Aaron's head to try to stop the blood that was starting to accumulate.

"Sasha and I didn't even notice him. If he wanted to sneak up and ambush us, he could have easily, but he didn't," Maggie said as she helped out the man who had passed out from the punch.

"Doesn't matter. We've been through too much to just throw caution to the wind. We need to make sure this guy's story checks out. Y'all agree?" Rick asked as Tara and Daryl nodded in agreement.

Moans came from Aaron's mouth as he slowly began to regain consciousness. Tara raised her gun on him again, anticipating any move he might think of making.

"Sit him up," Rick ordered as Daryl roughly grabbed Aaron's shoulder to get him on his knees.

"I don't think that's a good idea. He just got hit pretty hard," Maggie argued as Tara gave her a look that told her to keep out of this.

"Maggie…stay out of this," Tara warned, keeping the gun trained on Aaron. Maggie looked at Tara before giving Aaron a glance of apology.

"It's alright," Aaron said to Maggie as he got to his knees. He took a glimpse at all the faces that were staring back at him. He could tell that they were at the end of their rope and they needed this. He just needed to convince them that Alexandria was the place for them.

"I'm a friend. I left you the water on the road the other day. I mean you no harm," Aaron pleaded as some blood ran down his face.

"You've been followin' us?" Daryl asked as he marched up to the stranger, gritting his teeth together.

"Yes…just to see what kind of people you were. But y'all are good people. Even though you have no food or water, you never turned on each other. You killed rotters like it was nothing," Aaron was amazed at how the group had thrived together through all the hardships they had faced on the road.

Rick held up the flare gun. "How many people are out there waitin' to ambush us? You have a flare gun to signal to others our location. So how many are there?"

"It doesn't matter what I tell you. You won't trust me," Aaron replied dejectedly, "But if you must know, I have one partner and we can all go back to Alexandria."

"How we all gonna fit in one car?" Tara asked as Aaron gave her a smile.

"My partner and I brought an RV also. We tried to park it closer to the barn but the storm hit and we couldn't clear the road," Aaron answered as Tara wondered if he was telling the truth or not.

"We have a couple of doctors and medical equipment. I know that Maggie is pregnant. We have a doctor who specializes in delivering babies. Your wife would be in excellent hands in her care," Aaron said to Tara as she let the gun fall a little. She immediately raised it again in Aaron's face.

"You've been listenin' and spyin' on us? No way you could know that Maggie's pregnant unless you were!" Daryl snarled as he threatened Aaron.

"Yes...I have been listening to your conversations," Aaron admitted, "but we have a place where you can thrive and be safe."

"We've been told that before. We've been almost killed so many times. I don't trust you at all," Tara replied.

"I get that. I do but we got a recommendation to find your group by someone you know," Aaron said to Tara as a surprised look crossed her face.

"Knows me? Who?" Tara asked not knowing who Aaron could be talking about.

"Nicole? That ring a bell? She told us how you guys saved her and her sister from a bad group. From that, we were determined to find you guys and bring you back," Aaron answered as everyone remembered the whole Ryen fiasco that almost got Tara killed.

"Yeah...I remember her," Tara kept her gun on Aaron, still not sure whether to believe him or not. Daryl and Rick both glared at the stranger kneeling in front of them.

"If you don't believe me, go out on Highway 16. There's an RV and car parked out there, ready for y'all. Go see for yourselves," Aaron told Rick as the bearded man shook his head.

"Nah...that's what you want us to do. Get us set up in a trap and then ambush us. It ain't worth the risk," Rick stated as Michonne shook her head.

"Shouldn't we at least go see if there are cars out there? We need a community like this. Carl and Judith need this. Maggie and Tara's baby needs this. It's worth the risk and I'm going," Michonne argued as Rick gave her a look that said otherwise.

"You'll be walkin' into a trap," Rick disagreed as Michonne simply shrugged.

"Well, it's still worth the risk to see if he's tellin' the truth," Michonne adamantly said in a tone that told Rick there would be no changing her mind.

"I'll go too," Maggie announced much to Tara's dismay.

"Babe, we don't know if there's people waiting to hurt us. You can't go," Tara turned her attention from Aaron to Maggie, trying to convince her wife to stay put at the barn.

"I'm goin'. We need this community, Tara. What are we gonna do? Continue to starve and walk around aimlessly? We'll lose our baby if we keep doin' that. I need to see if this is for real...for our little girl," Maggie said close to tears as Tara just sighed in defeat.

"Alright, baby. I'll go with y'all to check out the car business," Tara pulled Maggie into a hug. She didn't want her to start crying over something like this.

Rick nodded in agreement with Tara's plan as he turned to Abraham. "You go with them also. You too, Rosita."

"I feel like takin' a walk anyways," Abraham said as he and Rosita complied with the plan.

"Everyone else keep an eye out. They may be surroundin' us," Rick turned to Aaron, "if they ain't back within an hour, I'm gonna put a knife in your skull. One hour."

Tara gave Aaron and the others one last look before she led her small group out of the barn and onto the road.

* * *

The small group walked for a few minutes, following the directions that Aaron had given. Tara kept an eye out for any unfamiliar faces as she walked beside Maggie.

"Everyone keep your eyes open and guns up. If you see someone shoot them," Tara ordered.

"So that's it? We just shoot them? No questions asked?" Michonne asked.

"Yeah...don't give those bastards a chance to overpower us," Tara adamantly replied.

"So far no one's been out to say hello," Maggie commented as she looked around her surroundings, wondering where Aaron's accomplice was.

"We're five people holding guns. No one's gonna say hi," Tara replied as she kept on walking. She noticed that Maggie was a bit too quiet and seemed lost in her own world.

"Are you ok?" Tara asked as Maggie snapped back to reality.

"Yeah...I'm just hopin' this community isn't a bust. I just want someplace where we can raise our family without feelin' threatened all the time," Maggie explained, but Tara knew there was more to it.

"What else is bothering you?" Tara glanced at Maggie who looked down at the road.

"Aaron mentioned Nicole and I remember she seemed kinda sweet on you last time we saw her. And now she's gonna be there also...not sure how to feel about that," Maggie admitted as Tara smiled.

"You know you have nothing to worry about. My focus is on you and Peanut...that's it," Tara took Maggie's hand into her own, placing a soft kiss on it.

Maggie gave Tara half a smile as they continued walking. Suddenly, they heard some rustling of leaves in some nearby bushes. Tara rushed to where Abraham was, gun ready to fire in case they were about to get ambushed.

"Don't move a muscle, asshole!" Tara threatened, ready to protect Maggie at all costs.

A couple of walkers tore through the bushes as Tara let her firearm relax. Abraham glanced at Tara as he pulled out his knife and Rosita stepped up to the walkers.

"We got 'em," Abraham told the others as he and Rosita quickly disposed of the walkers.

"Look!" Michonne pointed to where a RV and a blue small sedan were parked on the side of the road.

"Well, shit. Maybe that fucker was tellin' the truth after all," Abraham exclaimed as he walked to the RV. Michonne and Maggie looked in the car noticing that it was empty.

"Let's check this baby out," Abe said to Tara as they both got their firearms ready. Tara slowly opened the door as she climbed in, ready for any kind of imposing danger. Instead, there was nothing but an empty RV.

Abraham looked in the cabinets and pulled out a can of Spaghetti-Os. "Man...it's been forever since I've had these."

Tara looked into the cabinet to see several cans of Spaghetti-O's and fruit. She would make sure Maggie got something to eat when they got back to the barn.

"Let's get going before Rick kills Aaron," Tara announced as she looked in the glove department, finding the keys to both the RV and the car. She threw the RV keys to Abraham who promptly started the vehicle.

Tara led Maggie to the sedan, opening the passenger side door for her. Tara started the car and led the way back to the barn with the RV close behind. Tara made sure that she held Maggie's hand all the way back to their temporary shelter. The small group made it back to the others and showed Rick the food that they had found.

"This is ours now," Rick told Aaron who only nodded.

"That's fine. There's plenty more from where I came from," Aaron replied as Rick only glared at him.

"He was telling the truth about the cars. And he knew about Nicole. I think we can trust him and go to his community," Michonne said in a firm tone.

"I don't know..." Rick started before being interrupted by Michonne.

"We need this! So we're going...all of us," Michonne replied in a tone that left no arguing.

"Well, I guess we're goin' then. Anyone have anythin' to say?" Rick asked, looking around at the faces in the barn.

"This barn smells like horse shit," Daryl said as Tara let out a small chuckle.

"It's settled then.." Rick announced, "we'll leave tonight on Highway 23. We go in the cover of darkness when they least expect it. If we go in the daytime, they'll be expectin' us."

"What? No! You can't go that way! It hasn't been cleared yet and could be crawling with walkers, especially at night!" Aaron tried to argue as Rick glared at him.

"We're goin' my way and that's final," Rick stated as Aaron looked at him.

"Please...if we go your way, you'll be putting your people in danger," Aaron pleaded as his concerns fell on deaf ears.

As the group waited for night to fall, they eagerly ate a couple of the cans of food. Tara, of course, gave most of her portion to Maggie, despite Aaron's claims that there would be plenty of more food at the waiting community. Tara sat with Aaron since it was her turn to watch over him, but she also kept a close eye on Maggie who was talking to Carol and Rosita.

"She's glowing, you know? Congrats on the baby. Our doctor will take good care of her," Aaron smiled as his gaze followed Tara's to Maggie.

"I hope so. I just want the best for our baby. I just want Maggie to be safe," Tara replied as Aaron nodded in understanding.

"So will Maggie and I be accepted in this community being a lesbian couple and all?" Tara questioned as Aaron gave her a small smile.

"Well, you'll probably get stares and comments from people who mean well. But people for the most part are respectful. My partner, Eric, and I have never had any problems," Aaron revealed as Tara looked at him.

"That's good to know. Although, if anyone messes with Maggie, I'll be sure to set them straight," Tara threatened as Aaron laughed.

"Hopefully, not too straight," the tied up man commented as Tara let out a small chuckle. They were silent for a few minutes. Maggie looked over at Tara, giving her a beautiful smile.

"It'll be nice to have another gay couple around," Aaron commented giving Tara a hopeful smile.

"Nicole had nothing but good things to say about you. I think she might have a little crush on you," Aaron laughed as Tara shook her head.

"She might. But I'm taken by an amazing woman," Tara gushed as Aaron simply grinned. He loved seeing the young couple so in love. It gave him hope for the world.

After a couple of more hours, Daryl took his turn to watch over Aaron. Tara sat against the barn wall with Maggie.

"Any morning sickness?" Tara asked as Maggie shook her head.

"I was nauseated for a couple of hours, but little Elizabeth settled down. I'm just tired now," Maggie yawned as she stretched out her arms.

"Take a nap. We got a couple of hours before we leave anyways," Tara pulled Maggie down so that her wife's head was in her lap.

"Don't be gettin' any ideas, now," Maggie smiled as she rested her head on Tara's lap.

"Hah...yeah my mind's already in the gutter. Excuse any hardness," Tara laughed as Maggie smacked her leg. Tara ran her fingers through Maggie's brown hair until she finally fell asleep. Tara looked down at Maggie, loving how peaceful she looked. Tara let her head rest against the wall behind her, closing her eyes to get a couple of minutes sleep.

A couple of hours later, Tara felt her shoulder being shaken as Daryl woke her up.

"It's time to get goin' out of here," Daryl whispered so he wouldn't wake up Maggie. Tara nodded as she stretched her tired body out.

Tara gently woke up Maggie. "Hey babe...it's time to get up."

Maggie shook her head, as she snuggled deeper into Tara, making her jump.

"Woah...babe. Keep doin' that and you'll start something you can't finish," Tara laughed as Maggie sat up.

"I could finish it," Maggie gave Tara a suggestive smile that sent shivers down Tara's body.

"Come on before I take you out back for a quickie," Tara stood up, helping Maggie get on her feet. They joined the rest of the group out by the vehicles.

"Alright, here's the plan. Tara, Michonne, and I will ride with Aaron in the car. The rest of you follow us in the RV," Rick ordered as no one questioned his leadership.

They all piled into their assigned vehicles. Tara made sure to give Maggie a quick kiss before taking the driver's seat in the sedan. She watched in the rearview mirror as Maggie climbed into the RV parked behind the car. The car doors opened as Rick and Michonne climbed in after throwing Aaron in the back seat.

Tara started the car, driving down the lonely road, glancing at the rearview mirror to make sure that the RV was still behind them. She vaguely heard Michonne and Aaron discuss the pictures he had in his backpack. Suddenly, Michonne seemed to be a bit more alert as she asked the three questions. Tara listened in on the conversation as Rick turned to face Aaron.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Michonne asked as Aaron looked at her flabbergasted.

"What's the meaning of-" Aaron started before being interrupted.

"How many?" Rick demanded in a rough voice. Tara glanced at Aaron through the rearview mirror.

"I don't know...a lot?" Aaron answered nervously.

"How many people have you killed?" Michonne questioned as Aaron sighed.

"Two," he simply stated.

"Why?" Rick interrogated as Aaron let a look of regret cross his face.

"Because they tried to kill me," Aaron answered before there was a loud thump against the car.

"Fuck!" Tara yelled as she accidentally hit a walker, blood and guts spraying all over the car. She continued to hit walker after walker in the infested highway.

"The others are following...this will help them get out," Tara kept on hitting walkers until one's body exploded on the windshield, covering the glass with blood, making it impossible to see.

Tara stopped the car as everyone except Aaron jumped out to see the damage. Rick noticed that the RV was no where in sight, hoping that the others got away.

"The RV's gone. That probably means the others made it out. Let's head back!" Rick shouted as more and more walkers started to head their way. Tara wiped the windshield with the sleeve of her shirt, blood and guts getting all over her as she tried to make the glass see through again.

Finally, Tara jumped into the car when she realized that dozens upon dozens of walkers were upon them.

"Are the others alright?" Aaron asked, close to tears as biters banged on the car.

"They made it out," Michonne confirmed as Aaron relaxed a little but not much due to all the walkers clashing against the car.

Tara tried to start the car but to no avail. She hit the steering wheel in frustration. "Fuck! There's probably walker guts stalling the engine."

"We're gonna have to fight our way out," Rick muttered as biters began to shake the car.

"We won't get out of this alive!" Aaron shouted as Rick nodded in solemn agreement.

"Probably not," the stalwart leader answered as he grabbed his knife, hand on the door handle.

Tara took his lead, unholstering her knife, fingers grazing the door handle. She wondered how many walkers they would be up against and if they had a chance. Tara thought of Maggie one last time as Rick started a countdown.

"Three...two...on-" Rick was interrupted by the sound of a flare gun going off. Suddenly, the banging against the car stopped as all the walkers began to travel into the direction of where the flare had been set off. The occupants in the car scrambled out as Aaron looked visibly shaken.

"I need to get to where that flare gun was set off. Please! Untie me so I can get there!" Aaron pleaded, close to tears as Rick shook his head.

"Not gonna happen..so you can lead us to your people so they can ambush us?" Rick muttered as Aaron fell to his knees, turning to Tara.

"Please! Let me go! Remember, I told you about Eric? Well, he is my accomplice in all of this! That flare was a signal that he's in trouble. Please help me! What if it was Maggie?" Aaron knew what Tara's weakness was and was not ashamed to use it.

Tara sighed as she looked at Rick and Michonne, knowing why Aaron was so eager to get going. She knew she would feel the same way if Maggie was involved.

"Maybe we should check it out. The others will probably be going in that direction anyways if they saw the flare. They might think we shot it," Tara suggested as Rick thought it over before finally relenting.

"Don't make me regret this," Tara stated as she cut off the rope from Aaron's hands.

"I won't! I promise!" Aaron replied as he ran into the direction that the flare had been fired. Tara, Rick, and Michonne followed close behind, keeping the man in their sights.

The small group ran for almost ten miles before running into a large shed-like building in a small, industrial town. They heard Daryl whistle from the back of the building and ran towards the noise. Tara felt her heart skip a beat as the RV came into view. She could feel the anticipation from the others as they reached the shed and knocked on the door, which was opened by Abraham.

Aaron nearly pushed the large red head out of the way as he searched around for someone. He finally saw who he was looking for as he kneeled down beside a mousey looking man whose ankle had been injured. Aaron gave the man a long kiss as the others looked on.

Tara was happy that Aaron's boyfriend was alright as she frantically looked for Maggie. She finally spotted Maggie who was also looking for her. Once Maggie spotted Tara, she ran and jumped into her arms. Maggie let a few tears escape as she felt Tara's strong arms wrap around her waist. Tara wasted no time kissing Maggie like she hadn't seen her in ages.

Maggie felt fireworks go off from their intense kiss, feeling grateful that Tara was safe. She had been worried sick after they had lost sight of the sedan in the large walker horde. She then noticed that Tara's plaid shirt was covered in blood.

"What happened? You're covered in blood," Maggie asked with concern as Tara started to unbutton her plaid shirt.

"It's all walker blood. We got completely overrun but we made it out," Tara took off her over-shirt, revealing her black t-shirt underneath. She threw the ruined shirt into the corner of the room. Maggie resumed their hug, not wanting to let Tara go for a second.

"Thank you all so much for taking care of Eric and saving him. Tomorrow we'll go to Alexandria," Aaron announced as he went back by his boyfriend's side, not wanting to be apart for an instant.

Rick took a look at the two lovers before deciding that his group could get some sleep as long as they took turns keeping an eye on Eric and Aaron. Rick took the first watch as he sat by the small fire that had been built.

Tara laid on the rough floor as Maggie laid on top of her. "Get some sleep, babe. Tomorrow is probably gonna be a long day," Tara whispered as Maggie snuggled into her.

"I love you," Maggie sleepily said as she quickly fell asleep in Tara's warm embrace, her hand gripping Tara's shirt, feeling safe with the warm body underneath her.

"I love you, too," Tara held Maggie close throughout the night, nervous about what they find the next day and if they would truly be safe in this new community.

* * *

Tara paced around the large living room, nervously waiting to be interviewed. So far, Alexandria seemed like a godsend to Rick's group. Although, they did have their concerns. One being that the residents clearly had no idea how to protect themselves or how life was outside the walls.

Tara felt better that they had been allowed to keep their weapons on them for the time being. She didn't want to be in an unfamiliar location without her guns or knife.

When the family had arrived at the gates of Alexandria, they heard something they thought they would never hear again - the sound of children playing. Rick nearly let out a small laugh as the sound filled his ears.

Then a man with curly dark hair, named Nicholas, had opened the gate, looking at them with distrustful eyes. Tara could tell that he would pose a problem for the group or her later on just by his demeanor.

"You need to give up your weapons if you want to stay and to talk to Deanna," Nicholas informed them as Rick shook his head.

"Who the fuck is Deanna?" Abraham gruffly asked, eyeing Nicholas suspiciously.

"Our leader. And it's fine, Nicholas. They can keep their guns on them for now," Aaron tried to keep a fight from breaking out as Nicholas and Rick eyed each other suspiciously.

Tara kept her gun raised on Nicholas since he had his aimed on Rick. Aaron nervously watched the mini stand-off happening in front of him, not sure what to do to dispel the situation.

"Tara..." Maggie placed her hand on Tara's shoulder to calm her down. Feeling Maggie's calm presence, Tara lowered her rifle.

Nicholas let his aim go down as Rick kept glaring at him. Aaron then informed the group that they would be led one by one to be interviewed by Deanna and see what job they would have within the community. As they walked to Deanna's house, Tara noticed all the nice houses and how calm and serene the people seemed. The townspeople gazed with curiosity at the rough looking newcomers.

Finally, they made it to Deanna's house which was more like a small mansion. The group were shown the living room where they waited for their turn to be auditioned in Deanna's office. Rick was first to be led to the office where he disappeared for about 45 minutes.

Tara felt a little apprehensive as Maggie was led to the office but Aaron reassured her that she would be fine. Tara kept a close eye on the door until it opened and Maggie stepped out.

"And last but not least. Tara, it's your turn," a voice called from within the office. Tara stood up and made her way into the office, softly closing the door behind her.

"Hello...it's nice to meet you. Please sit. I'm Deanna Monroe," an older woman with light brown hair held her hand out to Tara. Tara looked at Deanna's hand before accepting the handshake.

"Tara Chambler," Tara said as she took a seat in a chair in front of a video camera. Deanna pushed the on button on the camera, recording the interview.

"The others have told me many great things about you. Also, Nicole spoke highly of you. It seems like you would be a great asset to our community," Deanna stated as she sat down on the small couch across from Tara.

Tara didn't say anything as she looked around the room, still feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole interview process. Tara hoped she would be able to make a good impression to Alexandria's leader.

"What did you used to do before everything went down hill? Or let me guess...police officer? Rookie?" Deanna guessed as Tara nodded.

"Yeah, I was a rookie for about eight months," Tara replied as Deanna gave her a thoughtful look.

"That's impressive. So how many people have you killed?" the older woman asked as Tara thought it over.

"I don't even know to be honest. Maybe twenty or more. I just had to do what I could to protect the people I love," Tara answered indifferently.

"I can respect that. We've all done things to survive after all. What are you good at now? I can tell you aren't the type to be cooped up behind walls all day," Deanna observed.

"I'm good at getting supplies and being a scout. Daryl and I make a great team, we can find practically anything," Tara gave Deanna a small smile.

"Yes...Daryl is quite a character. I know he won't want to be behind these walls all the time. But you both seem to hold your own so I will make you both supply runners along with Noah. Which is a godsend to us since we lost four members of our supply team last month and no one wants to volunteer. But the team is headed by my son Aiden, and Nicolas," Deanna explained as Tara wasn't too happy to hear that she would have to work with Nicholas.

"That sounds good," Tara was happy to have a job that she was good at.

"I can tell that you have been through a lot. Hopefully, you can relax some while you are here. I know you are married to Maggie and have a little one on the way. Maggie will be in good hands with our obstetrician, Dr. Fields. You can meet with her tomorrow after you get acquainted with the town," Deanna could tell that Tara was worried about the health of her wife and child.

"Thank you. I was wondering if you could make sure that Maggie has a job that keeps her out of harms way. It would make me feel a lot better knowing that she was safe behind the walls," Tara inquired, hoping that her request would be filled. She definitely didn't want Maggie and Peanut outside of the walls with unfamiliar people and walkers.

"I'm going to make Maggie my govern assistant. She will help close the gap of communication between your people and my society. She will also help me make inform decisions regarding your group. Maggie is very grounded and smart...she will make a perfect addition to my team. She'll be out of danger at all times," Deanna answered as a look of relief crossed Tara's face.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. And yeah, Maggie's very smart," Tara never missed an opportunity to tell others how amazing her wife was.

"Do you have any other family besides Maggie that are still around?" Deanna asked, curious about Tara's background.

"Nah...my dad, niece, and sister all died about a few months ago," Tara revealed as Deanna gave her a look of sympathy.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been a rough time for you," Deanna commented. Tara simply shrugged, not really feeling any emotions over her loss.

"I just got past it and did what I had to do to make sure my friends survived. I didn't really have time to feel sorry for myself. I had to move on," Tara replied.

"Well, if you want my advice. You shouldn't keep stuff like that buried in. If you ever need to talk, my door is always open," Deanna said as Tara gave her a small smile of appreciation.

"Thanks," Tara thanked the older woman who gave her a warm grin.

"Well, I think that does it for now," Deanna said as she pressed the off button on the video recorder as Tara stood up to leave.

"Oh and off the record, Maggie told me about your little condition because I was confused on how y'all were having a biological child together. But don't worry, it's fine. I also will inform Dr. Fields so she knows about the situation," Deanna smiled as Tara laughed a little.

"I hope Maggie didn't describe it as little," Tara blurted out before she could censor herself around the older woman.

"Oh...I'm sorry, ma'am," Tara quickly apologized as Deanna simply laughed.

"It's quite alright. You're a funny one," Deanna continued to laugh as she led Tara out of the room to join the rest of Rick's group.

"Follow me so I can show you where you'll stay while you're here," Deanna announced to the group as she went out the front door followed closely by Rick.

The group was led to a small building where guns and supplies were stored. "But before we continue, you must hand over your guns. You can keep your knives, but your guns must be turned over. They are still your weapons and you can check them out whenever you want," Deanna said as Nicholas stood beside her.

Rick gave his group a look before he unholstered his pistol and set it down on the table. Tara quickly followed his lead as she placed her guns with Rick's. The rest of the family followed suit as all their firearms and semi-automatics were handed over.

Satisfied that all the weapons were secured, Deanna and Aaron led the group to where they would be staying. Tara held Maggie's hand as they passed house after house with families on the front porch or yard. There were even dogs outside with their owners. To Tara, it almost looked like a painting of a quiet, peaceful 50s neighborhood.

Deanna stopped in front of two big houses that seemed like mansions in their own right. Tara looked at the buildings in front of them, not quite believing that the houses were their new homes.

"These two houses are yours. Please enjoy your stay and if you need anything let me know," Deanna said before she went back to her house to conduct business.

"And I'm only four houses down if you need anything. Just call but we don't actually have phones so you can't call..." Aaron laughed at his own joke before walking away.

"Tara!" They all heard a woman's voice as a young blonde woman bounded into Tara's arms. She immediately recognized Nicole as she gave her a big hug.

"I'm so glad you and your group made it here! I haven't stopped thinking about you since we last saw each other," Nicole admitted as Tara gave her a smile.

"You look good," Tara simply said, feeling all eyes on her, especially Maggie's.

"Thank you...so are you and Maggie still together?" Nicole asked as she glanced at Maggie in the background.

"Yeah...we're married now and have a baby on the way," Tara replied as a look of sadness washed over Nicole's face.

"That's great. We need to catch up soon but I'll let you and your group rest. If you ever need anything, I work at the infirmary," Nicole gave Tara a smile as she walked away from Rick's group, giving them all a small hello.

Maggie watched the other woman walk away not sure exactly how she felt about her. The rest of the day was spent exploring their new houses and town, and staying close together just in case this was all one big trick. That night, the whole family stayed in the living room of one house to stay safe.

There was a knock on the door as they all became alert. Rick opened the door to see Deanna standing on the front porch, she looked in to see everyone in the living room.

"I see you all are sticking together. That's smart." Deanna observed as she smiled at the others.

"No one said we couldn't," Rick replied.

"And that's fine. I remember you said that y'all are a family. It's just funny to me how people with such different backgrounds can become that. But I just stopped by to say goodnight," Deanna took a look at the tired faces before leaving. Rick closed the door and locked it, still distrustful of their new neighbors.

A couple of hours later, Tara sat at the window, keeping watch. Daryl took a seat beside her, staying silent for a few minutes.

"So you think this place is good?" Daryl asked as Tara shrugged.

"I hope so. Maybe this is the place for Maggie to have the baby," Tara looked over at Maggie who was sound asleep on the couch.

"Maybe. How do you think our first run with their group will go in a couple of days?" Daryl asked.

"Good...I hope. We'll see what they're made of," Tara replied as they continued to look out the window into the dark streets.

"Hope these fucks are some strong sons of a bitch," Daryl commented as they both laughed together.

After a few more minutes, Daryl threw his arm over Tara's shoulders. "Get some sleep...I got this now."

"You sure?" Tara asked as Daryl nodded.

"Yup, it's all good," Daryl waved Tara off as she went to the couch that Maggie occupied. Tara gently laid down on the couch as Maggie woke up for a few seconds to snuggle into her. Tara held her close, placing a kiss on her head.

It took Tara a couple of hours to fall asleep since she still had her guard up in this unfamiliar community and protecting Maggie and their baby was her only mission right now.

* * *

The next morning, Rick decided that they could separate into their different houses. Tara, Maggie, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Carol, and Daryl all decided to take the bigger house while the rest of the group took the one they occupied now.

"We call the master bedroom!" Tara yelled as she and Maggie ran up the stairs to check out the room.

"You got lucky, Chambler!" Abraham called up the stairs to her.

Tara and Maggie laughed as they finally found their room. It was a huge room with a large bathroom attached to it. In the room was a king sized bed covered with a dark blue blanket.

"Wow...this is really nice," Tara remarked as she took a look into the bathroom, seeing how big the shower was.

"Yeah, this is really neat. The bed is really soft," Maggie replied as she sat down on the bed.

"Ready to put the bed to good use?" Tara asked as she wiggled her eyebrows at Maggie.

"I would if we had time. We need to go see Dr. Fields in a little bit. Let's take a shower and get ready," Maggie said as she locked the bedroom door.

"So sex in the shower then?" Tara asked in a hopeful voice.

"No...let's wait until tonight so it can be special and not rushed," Maggie replied as she turned on the water. It was the first time in a long time that they would actually have a warm shower.

"Fine...I'll wait," Tara sighed dejectedly as Maggie giggled at her.

They quickly took a shower and then walked down to the infirmary where Dr. Fields was waiting for them. Tara saw Nicole, giving her a small smile as the other woman gave her a quick hug.

"Dr. Fields' patient room is just down the hall. Here I'll take you there," Nicole led the young couple to a clean room that had an examination bed in the middle of it, and lots of machines surrounding the room.

"Thanks," Tara told Nicole as Maggie sat on the examination bed, getting a little nervous.

"I'll see you around," Nicole smiled at Tara before walking out of the room. Maggie tried not to let her jealousy get the best of her.

Just then, a middle-aged woman with red hair walked into the room. She smiled cheerfully as she took in the young couple in front of her.

"Well, hello there you two! I'm Ruth Fields, very pleased to meet you," the doctor gave off an infectious smile.

"Hi...I'm Tara and that's Maggie," Tara shook Dr. Fields' hand, giving her a small smile.

"Let's check out the baby and see where we're at," Ruth pulled over the ultrasound machine and hooked it up. Maggie lifted up her shirt as the doctor put gel on her stomach. Tara watched as Dr. Fields rubbed the wand against Maggie's stomach, looking for the baby.

"There it is!" Ruth smiled wide as a small baby came into view. Tara looked at the monitor seeing the baby's head and tiny arms. She glanced at Maggie who had tears running down her face at the sight.

"That's our baby!" Maggie exclaimed excitedly as she gave Tara a kiss.

"Yes, your baby looks as healthy as ever at about 12 weeks. In about two months, we'll be able to see the what the sex is," Ruth explained as they watched the screen.

"Let me print out a picture for you guys and then you can be on your way," Dr. Fields left the room momentarily to get the picture.

"Can you believe our baby is that big?" Maggie had a wide smile on her face.

"Yeah, she ain't gonna be a little Peanut anymore soon," Tara laughed as Ruth walked back into the room and handed Tara the picture. She gave Maggie a towel to wipe the gel off.

"So how many successful births have you performed?" Tara asked, needing to know how safe her family was in Dr. Fields' hands.

"Before everything went down, I never lost a mother or baby. Since being here, I have lost one baby but they had a condition that made survival obsolete. Last year, I performed two successful natural births and one C-section. All of the babies are happy and healthy. So far this year, Maggie is the only pregnant woman I've seen," Ruth answered as Tara felt a bit better about the whole situation.

"That's good to know. Sorry, I just worry," Tara said as Ruth nodded.

"I understand, especially since you guys are first time parents, but the baby looks great. If you have any concerns, come see me. Next appointment is in about two weeks," Dr. Fields led them out of the patient room.

The young couple walked back to their house hand in hand, both were beyond ecstatic that their baby was alright. When they got home, Maggie excitedly showed Rosita and Carol the picture as they all gushed over it. Even Eugene seemed interested in the picture as he listed off some baby facts.

"Here ya go. The first cold one we've had in months," Abraham handed Tara and Daryl a nice cold beer. Tara took a long drink, savoring the taste.

"Just six more months! I can't wait until there is a little newborn around," Rosita said as Carol nodded in agreement.

"So any new cravings?" Carol asked as Maggie nodded.

"Yes...I've been cravin' chocolate and peanut butter like crazy," Maggie admitted.

"I'll get you some extra since I have free access to the pantry," Carol promised as Maggie thanked her.

A few hours later, Rick and the rest of the family joined them since Carol made dinner for everyone. They spent the first night in a long time just enjoying each others' company and not having to watch their backs. Tara even made a few jokes about Rick's clean shaven face which she was not used to seeing. Tara still wasn't sure what to make of Alexandria but so far it seemed alright. She would get a better feel for the townsfolk when she went on the supply run with Daryl and Noah in the morning.

Tara looked at the clock on the wall, deciding it was time for her to head to bed. Plus, Maggie still owed her from earlier and she was more than ready to put their new bed to use.

"Alright, guys...Maggie and I are heading to bed so if you need us save it until morning. No disturbing unless it's an emergency," Tara smiled as she led Maggie up the stairs.

"Go get 'em, tiger!" Abraham yelled at Tara as everyone laughed.

* * *

Tara pulled Maggie into the room, wasting no time as she pushed Maggie up against the wall. Tara pushed her body against Maggie's as she moaned in anticipation.

Tara leaned closer, the distance between them getting smaller. She gently placed a hand on Maggie's cheek, guiding them closer together. Maggie could feel Tara's breath against her lips, practically tasting her already. Tara's nose brushed against hers, and she licked her lips in anticipation.

The first touch of their lips together was one that was soft, barely touching before Maggie felt Tara's other hand press against the small of her back. The kiss deepened quickly, the pressure almost bruising as Tara pulled Maggie close against her. Tara's hands were strong against Maggie's back and solid against her cheek. Maggie's hands, one curled in Tara's hair, the other grasping her shirt, pulling Tara even closer.

"Tara.." Maggie gasped and moaned as Tara caught her parted lower lip between her teeth.

Tara took both hands and wrapped them around Maggie's waist, lifting her up and positioning her so that she straddled her lap. Maggie felt the hard, long length of Tara through her jeans and against her inner thighs.

"Tara...oh...Tara," Maggie moaned in pleasure as Tara's hand reached up to grip Maggie's breast. Cradling it in her palm, Tara squeezed and pulled, her fingers bit into Maggie's shirt, marking red lines against Maggie's flesh.

"Baby, I need you to quiet down a little, alright?" Tara whispered as her hand on Maggie's waist pulled up the hem of Maggie's shirt and her fingers softly grazed the hot skin underneath.

Maggie gasped as her back arched, wanting more. Maggie's mouth parted, and Tara closed it with her own. Pulling a fraction of a centimeter away, Tara whispered, "Shhhhh..." against Maggie's lips.

Tara's hand climbed higher, tracing small circles against Maggie's back, working Maggie's bra clasp as Tara kissed her. The clasp popped loose much to Tara's delight.

Tara's hand open, she braced Maggie's back and used the hand at her breast to tug Maggie's shirt and bra above her head and off her. Throwing the clothes to the ground, Tara's head dipped to brush her lips down and across Maggie's breasts. Maggie moaned, but kept still.

Tara's lips parted around one nipple, tugging it between her teeth. Working it back and forth, Tara's tongue flicked over Maggie's hard, raised nipple. Tara's hand, now free, dropped between Maggie's legs and stroked the warmth that lay right beneath the surface of her jeans.

Tara needing to feel all of Maggie's body against hers, carried Maggie over to the bed, gently laying her down on the soft covers. Maggie quickly undid the button on her jeans and slid the zipper down. She eased the jeans down around her toned hips, and down her tight thighs. Tara leaned over, stripping Maggie of her black lacy panties, her eyes devouring Maggie's naked body.

Falling on top of Maggie, Tara ground against her core. Tara's hips grinding between Maggie's thighs, the heat at her groin pressed against Maggie's exposed pussy. Maggie gripped Tara's shirts in both hands, shrugging the plaid one off Tara's shoulders and with one swift tug pulled the tank top over Tara's head, adding it to the pile of clothes surrounding them. Reaching between them, Maggie let out an impatient whine and struggled frantically with Tara's belt.

"Hey now, don't get too impatient. We have all the time in the world," Tara leaned back and quickly slid the belt off. Undoing her jeans, Tara tugged them down around her hips and revealed her cock, a veined mass of substantial girth and length. Maggie couldn't help the want and need that came over her as she watched Tara kick off her jeans.

Tara climbed back on top of Maggie, kissing her passionately as their sweaty bodies pressed together. Maggie gently pushed Tara off of her, wasting no time as she kissed her way down Tara's body until she reached the hard erection that needed her attention. Maggie let her tongue swirl around the head as Tara let out a small moan.

Maggie teased Tara by licking up and down her cock, making sure that every inch was covered in saliva. Maggie's hand gripped at the base as she slowly began to take Tara into her mouth, letting her lips slide down the shaft until the head hit the back of her throat.

Tara's fingers tangled into Maggie's hair as she thrusted her hips against Maggie's mouth. Maggie let her lips slide up and the down Tara's cock as she kept in rhythm with Tara's movements. Tara let out a moan as she gripped Maggie's hair harder, feeling the intense sensation of her cock exploding in Maggie's mouth.

Maggie swallowed every last drop, making sure to milk Tara for all that she was worth. Tara let herself recover for a couple of minutes before grabbing Maggie and roughly switching their positions so that she was back on top. She slowly, teasingly traveled her way down Maggie's body, letting her lips graze the soft skin beneath her.

"God...Tara...please...I want you," Maggie whined, filled with impeding want and need.

Tara laughed softly to herself, putting her hands on the insides of Maggie's thighs, gently spreading Maggie's legs as far as they could comfortably go. Tara slowly swept her tongue from bottom to top, making sure that every inch of Maggie's pussy was tasted, causing a shudder to radiate through Maggie's body.

Steadily and firmly, Tara licked Maggie over and over again, pulling her tongue away just shy of Maggie's clit, loving to tease her. Maggie's clit was poking out of its hood, fully engorged and begging for attention. Tara let her nose rub against it as Maggie moaned in pleasure.

Tara continued licking upward, varying from the center by alternating licks along each side of Maggie's pussy - to cover every inch with her tongue. By this time, Tara's face was drenched in Maggie's juices and Tara made sure to savor the sweet taste that she loved so much.

Finally, Tara could sense that the time was right. Maggie's mind was in that special place, that heaven, where only the sensations of pleasure are felt. Maggie was drenched with desire, sprawled flat on her back, breathing fast and moaning with lust. In the dim light, beads of sweat glistened on her body. Maggie's nipples were rock hard and poking out as her breasts heaved up and down.

On the next lick, Tara passed over Maggie's clit. Then another. With the third lick, Tara stopped on her clit and wiggled the tip of her tongue on it for a few seconds. Tara pulled away for a brief second before doing it again. Maggie grabbed Tara's head with her hand, holding it down to her pussy.

"Please don't tease..." Maggie pleaded in a lust filled voice.

Tara decided that she wouldn't tease anymore as she bore down on Maggie's clit with her tongue and started licking in a frenzy. Faster and faster, Tara licked as Maggie held her head in place. Tara slipped her tongue into Maggie causing her to yell out in ecstasy. Maggie's hips were bucking off of the bed, literally fucking Tara's face with all the force she had. Tara could feel Maggie's impending climax building - her hips rose up, she arched her back and cried out in pleasure.

Maggie went over the edge, and fell into the abyss of a mind-warping climax. Over and over again, Maggie bucked and rode every wave as Tara eagerly swallowed the wetness that coated her tongue. It took several minutes for Maggie to come down from her high. They lay there together, Tara's face between Maggie's thighs, in that blissful post orgasm feeling.

Suddenly, Tara felt Maggie pull her up until they made eye contact. Maggie grabbed Tara's head, guiding her into a passionate kiss, moaning as she tasted herself on Tara's lips.

"Fuck me already, Tara," Maggie whispered from beneath her, "I need you. Now."

With that, Tara thrusted into Maggie, filling her up with one quick stroke. Maggie moaned in pleasure, the sound music to Tara's ears. Arching her back, Maggie whimpered and murmured obscenities into Tara's ear as she begged to be taken roughly and hard.

Thrust after thrust, Tara gripped Maggie's waist and buried her face in Maggie's shoulder. The hard panting and wet slaps of their bodies working together as one was the only sound in the room. Tara kept up the rhythm as her hard cock relentlessly invaded Maggie over and over again, not caring at all to be gentle.

Maggie came. Then she came again, moans and screams of pleasure filling Tara's ears. Maggie's body shuddered uncontrollably and her fingers scratched red lines into Tara's back as her orgasm took over.

Tara sped up, thrusting harder and faster. Her hips jackhammering into Maggie. Her teeth against Maggie's neck, biting gently, being sure to leave a light mark. Their panting and moaning reached its peak as Maggie let out a cry of ecstasy and Tara, a throaty moan as she buried herself into Maggie's warm depths for the final thrust.

Tara could barely control herself as her cock let out a stream of cum deep inside of Maggie, filling her up. Maggie held Tara close as she felt herself being pumped up with the hot liquid, knowing that she would never get enough of this emotional and physical connection to Tara.

Tara licked her lips, satisfaction and adoration painting a wide smile over her face. Maggie's soft lips parted in a smile mirroring Tara's as she nuzzled Tara's sweat slicked body. Slipping out of Maggie's soaked and heated pussy, Tara rolled them so that Maggie could cuddle into her body. Two satiated bodies covered in sweat and cum, both still coming down from the depths of bliss. Maggie kissed Tara fully, tasting her sweat on her lips, her tongue grazing Tara's softly.

Maggie snuggled into Tara, her body ready to surrender into a pleasure induced sleep. "I love you so much...good luck with the supply run tomorrow."

Tara smiled against Maggie's hair. "I love you, too. Good luck with being a govern assistant."

Tara felt Maggie place a soft kiss against her skin, before feeling her wife's breathing relax and even out. Tara smiled with content before allowing herself to fall into a deep, restful sleep for the first time in a long time.

* * *

The next morning, Tara woke up a little earlier than Maggie, letting her wife sleep in for a few extra minutes. Tara quickly got showered and dressed before waking up Maggie so she could do the same. Tara smiled as Maggie refused to get up.

"Come on, babe. You don't want to be late on your first day," Tara pulled the covers off Maggie, who groaned.

"Fine! I'm gettin' up!" Maggie grumbled as she got up and headed to the shower. Maggie got ready, a little nervous about working with Deanna for the first time.

The young couple had a quick breakfast before saying goodbye to Abraham, Rosita, Eugene and Carol. They then walked with Daryl and Noah to Deanna's house where Aiden and Nicholas were waiting for the rest of their supply team.

"Hi...I'm Adien. I didn't know my mother's new assistant would be so attractive," Adien smiled at Maggie, not hiding the fact that he was checking her out. Nicholas also allowed a few glances at Maggie.

"Thanks," Maggie simply said as Daryl placed his hand on Tara's shoulder. He knew she was trying to keep calm despite the fact that Aiden and Nicholas were being openly disrespectful to Maggie.

Maggie turned to Tara, giving her a kiss. "Good luck today. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. I'll see you later," Tara gave Maggie a hug, glaring at the two men, telling them that Maggie was off limits.

Maggie gave Tara a quick kiss on the cheek before going up the stairs and into Deanna's house. Aiden and Nicholas kept staring at Maggie until she disappeared behind the front door.

"So today is just a dry run to see how you guys do. Let's us see who has the bigger balls," Aiden chuckled as Nicholas handed them some pistols.

"We brought out the big guns for today," Nicholas smirked as Tara looked at the small pistol in her hand. She sighed as she holstered up the weapon.

"Let's see if you guys are as good as my mom thinks you are," Aiden commented.

"We saw the pantry, you guys seem to be doing pretty good so far," Tara replied as Aiden gave her a cocky grin.

"Yeah, that's cuz Nick and I are the best at what we do," Aiden laughed as Tara rolled her eyes.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Aiden said as he led the small group out of Alexandria's gates and into the woods. They were all quiet as they walked a few miles deeper into the forest.

"Walkers killed four of our members last month. Now we do a little pre-game ritual before each run," Aiden smiled as Tara, Daryl, and Noah looked at each other confused.

"Sorry you lost your friends," Tara said as she kept an eye out for danger.

"You will find that I can be a douchebag at times, but as long as you follow my commands, then you will be fine. But I'm the leader of this operation and you will do exactly what I say," Aiden smirked at the newcomers, thinking they didn't have the experience that he did.

The group then came upon a trap set up for a walker, but only a string of its guts was still in the trap. Aiden and Nicholas became infuriated at the sight in front of them.

"Where the fuck is it?" Nicholas looked around the forest, searching.

"Hey! Walker fucker! Over here!" Aiden yelled out into the woods as Tara and Noah tried to hush him.

Suddenly, Aiden came upon a walker stuck in a bush. He grabbed the walker by the arms as he and Nicholas laughed, ready to torture the walker who had killed their friends.

"Haha! This is the fucker who killed our buddies," Aiden yelled as he tried to keep a grip on the biter's arm.

Tara could see that Aiden's grip was faltering and he needed some help. She grabbed her knife, ready to plunge it deep into the walker's head. All of a sudden, Aiden lost his footing which caused him to let go of the biter. In a panic, Aiden pushed the walker towards Tara, catching her by surprise.

The walker almost fell on Tara as she tried to push the creature away. Her hands and arms went into the walker's body as she lost her knife, she could feel the biter's teeth just inches from her neck. Suddenly, Daryl's knife went through the walker's skull as it fell to the ground.

"What the fuck? It killed our friends!" Aiden yelled at Daryl, dismayed that the walker was dead.

"Yeah, what the fuck?" Tara marched up to Aiden, pissed off that he almost cost her her life.

"You almost got Tara killed, you prick!" Daryl stepped up to Aiden which resulted in a stand off between the two.

"You guys aren't ready for this. You all are just a bunch of pussies!" Aiden muttered as he turned back, leading the way back to Alexandria.

As they entered the gates, Deanna and Maggie were walking around, observing the walls and the strength of the gate. Aiden stormed up to his mother in anger with the others right behind him.

"You three need new gigs, you aren't ready for runs," Aiden told the newcomers.

"Yeah, I think you've got that backwards," Tara replied as she turned to face him, glaring at him.

"These people don't know shit! You shouldn't have let them in! They can't follow orders!" Aiden yelled as his mother looked at the group behind him.

"Yeah, if we followed your orders we'd end up dead like your last crew," Tara argued as Aiden stepped up to her. She could see Rick and Michonne running towards them, trying to stop the fight that was about to happen.

"You don't know shit," Aiden spat in Tara's face, pushing her back, wanting to start a fight.

"You're the one who doesn't know shit, you fuckin' prick," Tara angrily said, trying to keep calm. Aiden pushed her back again as Tara replied by stepping up to him.

"Hey, Aiden, back off," Noah tried to step between the standoff but Aiden ignored him as he pushed Tara again. Tara could see Maggie watching the scene and tried to remain calm. Aiden pushed Tara again as she just glared at him.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Aiden laughed with a cocky grin as he turned away.

"Fuckin' bastard," Tara said under her breath to get the last word in.

Aiden walked away from Tara making it seem like the issue was over. Suddenly, Aiden turned to face Tara, swinging his fist at her as fast as he could. Tara easily sidestepped Aiden's hit, before landing a strong punch to his face, knocking him to the ground.

Aiden wiped the blood from his mouth. "Maybe you're just afraid that I can show Maggie what a real man is like."

Tara didn't hold back as she jumped onto Aiden, resulting in a fist fight between the two of them. Nicholas tried to pull Tara off of Aiden, but was tackled by Daryl who started to choke him. Rick and Michonne finally made it to the scene, grabbing Tara off Aiden.

Aiden tried to get up to pounce on Tara again, but was quickly stopped by Michonne.

"Get up and I'll put your ass back on the ground," Michonne threatened as her katana pushed Aiden back into the pavement.

"Daryl! Stop!" Rick shouted as he pulled him off Nicholas. The other man coughed loudly as Daryl's hands were removed from his neck.

"Fuck these people! They shouldn't even be here! Why did you let them in?!" Aiden yelled as Rick and Daryl tried to restrain Tara from going at him again.

"Enough! Stop!" Deanna yelled as everyone grew still. She turned to her son on the ground. "Whether you like it or not, these people are here to stay and they are part of our community now! And you will listen to what they have to say! Understand? Now, you all return your weapons at once! And Aiden, apologize this instant because what you said was out of line and disrespectful."

Aiden's anger only grew as he stood up and marched away with Nicholas following, without apologizing. Deanna watched her son before turning to face Tara.

"Thank you for putting him on his ass, he needed a big dose of reality. And I'm truly sorry he was disrespectful towards Maggie," the older woman said as Tara shrugged Rick off of her.

"Are you ok?" Maggie asked after seeing blood on Tara's face.

"I'm fine. I'll see you at the house later," Tara marched away, trying to calm down. She could vaguely hear Deanna make Rick and Michonne police constables as she walked away.

Tara walked through the streets, feeling her blood boil with fury. What she really wanted was to find Aiden and beat the shit out of him, but she knew she couldn't do that without putting Maggie and the others' livelihood in jeopardy.

Tara finally made it to the house, slamming the door shut behind her. She paced around the living room, trying to calm down. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Tara opened it to find Nicole standing on the porch.

"Deanna sent me to check on you," Nicole explained as Tara stepped aside to let the blonde in.

"I'm fine...really," Tara argued as Nicole patted a bar stool by the counter, indicating she wanted Tara to sit down.

"Come on, let me just check to make sure you don't need any stitches," Nicole said as Tara sat down on the bar stool.

Nicole inspected the sight where the blood was accumulating on Tara's face. She gently wiped the area clean, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Well, looks like your eyebrow got nicked, but doesn't look like it needs stitches. I'm just gonna disinfect it and bandage the cut," Nicole clarified as she dug into her first-aid kit.

Nicole kept eye contact with Tara as she worked, getting so close that Tara could feel Nicole's breath on her face. Nicole finished as she ran her fingers through Tara's hair, looking at her intently.

Tara turned away as she stood up from her seat. "Thanks for patching me up, but I'm sure you need to get back."

"Yeah, I do. Are you happy with Maggie?" Nicole asked as Tara led her to the front door. The question caught Tara by surprise as she stopped walking.

"I'm extremely happy with Maggie. She's the one for me...the only one," Tara answered as a sad look came across Nicole's face.

"Well, I'm happy for you then," Nicole said as Tara opened the front door. Nicole leaned up, placing a long kiss on Tara's cheek. "I'll see you around."

Tara watched as Nicole walked down the street before closing the door. Tara sat on the couch, thinking about everything that had happened earlier. She decided to lay down to take a short nap before Maggie got home when there was another loud knock on the door.

She opened the front door to find Rick, Daryl, and Carol standing on the front porch. Tara let out a sigh, knowing that she was probably going to get a lecture about the fight with Aiden.

"Look...I'm sorry about the fight. He just said something about Maggie and I couldn't hold back," Tara explained as they all walked into the house.

"Is anyone else home?" Rick asked as he took a look around the living room.

"No...Maggie won't be home for about another hour or so," Tara said as she shook her head.

"Here," Daryl handed Tara a loaded firearm.

"Keep that in a safe place in case things around here go south," Rick ordered as Tara placed the gun into the waistband of her jeans.

"How did you guys get guns?" Tara asked.

"I have free range of the pantry which is next to where all the guns are kept. I stole about four so we each have one and they don't suspect a thing. I'm gonna try to get some more just in case," Carol explained.

"We gotta be sure this stays between the four of us. Just in case we get caught, we don't want Maggie or the others to suffer any consequences," Rick said as the others nodded in agreement.

"Rick...these people don't know what's out there. They don't know how to protect themselves. Soon they'll put our lives in jeopardy with their stupidity," Tara complained as she took a seat on the couch.

"Fuck...that prick almost got Tara killed today. They don't know how to deal with walkers or kill 'em. Hell, they don't even have people on watch at the walls at all times," Daryl added as he sat down next to her.

Carol sat down on a chair across from the couch. "They're unprepared if the walls fail and walkers get in. Or worse - bad people."

"I know...these people are weak. They're livin' in an utopia of some sorts but we need this place to keep our family safe. We aren't weak and they won't make us weak," Rick took look at the three determined faces in the room.

"But if they're too weak and can't make it work then we'll just take this place from them," Rick announced as Tara nodded her head, liking the leader's plan.

Tara already knew that she would do anything to make sure Maggie and their baby were safe. If Tara had to help Rick overthrow Alexandria to ensure their safety then she would do it in a heartbeat, no matter the consequences for herself.

* * *

So things aren't exactly what they seem in Alexandria. Are Team Family goin' to fit in or will there be more trouble? Will they ever catch a break? Probably not since I'm writin' the story lol.

This chapter's song is "Shattered" by O.A.R

As always thank you for all the great reviews and messages y'all always write me! Y'all know how to make a gal feel awesome. :D I love you guys...thanks again!


	23. Serpents

The small group stayed at the house for a few minutes, finalizing their plans in case things went south for them in Alexandria. After a few minutes, Rick and Daryl left to inspect the walls to see how strong they really were. Carol kept up her master in disguise appearance, going to check on the older folks in the community.

Tara looked at the clock, knowing that Maggie would be home soon. She took the firearm and went into their bedroom, looking for a good place to hide it. Tara thought about sticking the gun in her drawer but she figured Maggie would easily be able to find it.

She opened the closet, seeing that there wasn't any good hiding places in there. Tara finally decided to stick the gun between the mattress and the bed frame. She figured that would be a place Maggie would never look.

As soon as she hid the gun, Tara heard the front door opening, signaling that her wife was probably home already. She walked down the stairs, wondering if she was going to get a lecture about what happened from Maggie.

"Well, that's one way to make an impression," Maggie laughed when she caught sight of Tara.

"I couldn't let him talk about you like that. I was just trying to make sure Aiden knew that wouldn't be tolerated," Tara defended herself as Maggie wrapped her arms around her, giving her a small kiss.

"I know and I really appreciate you defendin' my honor," Maggie smiled as she let her fingers gently graze the bandage on Tara's eyebrow. "Are you ok?"

Tara nodded, "Yeah, Nicole came by earlier and took a look at it. She made sure I was as good as new."

"I'm sure she did," Maggie let some of the jealously she felt seep into her voice. Tara simply smiled, loving how cute Maggie looked when she was jealous.

"You know you have nothing to worry about," Tara chuckled as she sat down on the recliner in the living room. Maggie promptly settled onto Tara's lap.

"I know...I'm just keepin' my eyes on her in case she ever tries somethin'" Maggie said as Tara just laughed.

Tara had to admit she liked Nicole as a friend. She had gotten to know her a bit whenever they walked through the forest looking for Ryen's camp. Nicole seemed like a sweet and sincere young woman but Tara knew Maggie didn't trust Nicole one bit.

"So how was your first day? Despite the whole fight thing," Tara asked as Maggie snuggled into her.

"It went well. Deanna seems to like me a lot and she said when I have the baby, I can have a couple of months of maternity leave. Oh, and the Monroe's are havin' a party in our group's honor, so we all have to be there," Maggie informed Tara.

Tara groaned, "Do I have to go? I mean dickface and douchebag will be there."

"Yes...you have to go. It won't reflect well on me if you don't. Plus, you need to mingle with the townsfolk and let them get to know you. And I promise to reward you afterwards," Maggie gave Tara a seductive smile that sent shivers down her spine.

"Well...when you put it that way, I guess I can't refuse. I'll go," Tara laughed as she gave Maggie a small peck on the lips.

"Good and you gotta dress nice so whatever you wear needs my approval," Maggie replied as Tara chuckled.

"Alright, babe. I will look hot just for you," Tara winked at Maggie as the front door opened.

"Well fuck me," Abraham said as he walked into the living room followed by Rosita.

"Only if you ask nicely," Tara joked as they both laughed.

"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pass, Chambler. You're not really my type," Abraham snickered.

Tara faked a hurt reaction, grinning, "Well, fuck you, too."

"Heard you got into a fight. Also heard about the party tomorrow. Seems like there's a lot goin' on right now," Abraham sat on the couch as Rosita took the seat next to him.

"That douchebag, Aiden, deserved it though. He was being disrespectful and said some things about Maggie," Tara explained as Abraham nodded in agreement. If Tara was in a fight, there had to be a good reason as to why. Tara left out the part where she was almost killed because of Aiden's stupidity.

"How was y'all's day?" Maggie asked the other couple.

"Pretty good. Just was out with the construction crew, gathering up supplies at that mall site. The people seem alright," Abraham recalled as he got up to get a glass of water.

"What about you, Rosita?" Tara asked. She was curious as to how their people were adjusting to the new community.

Rick explained that they needed the rest of the family to get along within the society to keep up appearances. Then Rick, Tara, Daryl, and Carol could keep a critical eye out for weak spots in the community in case things went bad. They were determined that they wouldn't let their family get hurt because of Alexandria's inexperience and stupidity. Tara had already almost lost her life because of Aiden and Nicholas's incapacity.

Rosita smiled, "Working at the infirmary has been pretty good so far. Nicole has been showing me some new nursing skills. Although, I get a weird vibe from the surgeon, Pete. But, so far he has been nice."

Maggie smiled, happy that most of their group seemed to be adjusting well into the community. Maggie needed this to work so she could have a safe place to raise her child. Tara looked at Maggie, seeing how glad and proud she was that Abraham and Rosita were doing well.

Tara felt a little pang of guilt about hiding the gun and the secret plan from Maggie. She knew Maggie was set on Alexandria being the place where they could have their family. Tara wasn't exactly sold on the fenced in community just yet. She felt like Alexandria was running on luck and soon that luck would run out.

"You ok?" Tara was brought out of her thoughts by Maggie's concerned look.

"Yeah, I'm fine, babe. Just tired," Tara lied as Maggie stared at her, wondering if she was telling the truth or not.

Maggie was about to comment when Carol, Daryl, and Eugene walked into the house. Maggie jumped off Tara's lap as Carol handed her a jar of peanut butter and a couple of chocolate bars.

"Oh my god! These are awesome! You're a godsend, Carol!" Maggie exclaimed as she gave the older woman a hug. Maggie's cravings had been driving her crazy all day, and now she had a chance to indulge in them.

"Jesus, Carol. If I didn't know any better, I would think you're trying to take my woman away with your endless supply of peanut butter and chocolate," Tara joked as Carol let out a hearty laugh.

"Hell, maybe I am," Carol replied as everyone laughed.

"Don't worry Tara, if she steals Maggie away, I'll be with ya!" Daryl joked as Tara threw her arm around his shoulders.

"See? Wouldn't we make an attractive couple?" Tara grinned, loving how everyone was in a joking mood that afternoon.

"Y'all would make somethin'" Abraham replied as he let out a cheerful laugh.

"But seriously guys, tomorrow night Deanna is havin' a party and everyone has to go. That includes you too, Daryl," Maggie said to the archer as he sighed in frustration.

"Do I have to?" Daryl complained as he rolled his eyes.

"Yes! And if you don't go then you'll have a pregnant, hormonal woman very mad at you," Maggie threatened as Daryl's eyes became wide for a second at the thought.

"Alright...I'll go if that means I avoid your wrath," Daryl agreed as Tara laughed at him.

"Thank you and be sure to wear something nice," Maggie added as Daryl groaned in protest.

"Come on buddy...let's get a beer. I totally deserve one after today," Tara led Daryl and Abraham into the kitchen so they could get some brew.

They each grabbed a cold beer from the fridge and popped the top. Tara took a long gulp of the refreshing drink.

"Hopefully, there's some alcohol at this party," Abraham commented as his friends nodded in agreement.

"Although, I'm sure they won't want us to get shit faced at the party," Tara laughed.

"Man, we'll need to get shit faced just to survive an evenin' with those borin' ass people," Daryl added to the conversation while the trio finished their beers.

Before leaving the kitchen, Tara looked around for a snack since she didn't know when dinner would be. She looked around until she found half of a Snickers bar. Tara knew she shouldn't eat it since it was Maggie's and she had cravings but Tara figured Maggie would be alright since Carol brought her those chocolate bars.

"You know Maggie is gonna kill you when she finds out you're eatin' her candy, especially with those hormones runnin' loose," Abraham said as Daryl laughed.

"I'll just make sure she doesn't find out," Tara replied as she finished off the package.

"Find out what?" Maggie asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Nothin!" Tara quickly discarded the wrapper in her backpack which was on the kitchen table, hoping Maggie wouldn't notice.

Maggie gave Tara a look before she and Carol kicked the three friends out of the kitchen so they could start dinner without them in the way. Tara didn't mind since she was useless when it came to cooking anyways.

Later that evening, Daryl and Tara were on the front porch, both smoking a cigarette. They were quiet for a few minutes as they stared into their neighborhood which seemed so quiet and perfect. The air was cool around them as day turned into crisp night.

"Where did ya hide your gun?" Daryl asked as he took another drag of his cigarette.

"Between the mattress and the bed frame. I don't think Maggie will ever find a reason to look there. I'll carry it around when I leave the house and whatnot," Tara blew out some smoke, savoring the sweet taste of nicotine.

"Sounds good. Just don't get caught with it. Last thing we need is for this shit to blow up in our faces," Daryl put out his cigarette as Tara did the same.

"Hopefully, Rick can talk some sense into these people before they kill themselves or one of us," Tara said as they watched someone walk down the street without a care in the world.

The best friends spent a few more minutes in silence before deciding to head back into the house. As soon as they stepped into the living room, Tara saw the amused faces of Abraham, Carol, and Rosita looking at her.

"What the hell is up with y'all?" Tara asked confused.

"Oh...you'll see, player," Abraham replied with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Yeah, this should be very entertaining," Carol agreed as she gave Tara a sly smile.

"What should?" Tara questioned as she looked at Daryl who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"You'll see, esé," Rosita smirked, clearly in on some kind of inside joke.

Just then Maggie marched into the living room, clearly upset about something. She pointed at Tara and Daryl, who both looked surprised.

"You two! Did y'all eat my Snickers bar?" Maggie demanded as she looked through their pockets for any clues as to where her candy went.

"Honey...I mean it was just a candy bar. Carol brought you two Hersey bars...you should be good with that," Tara tried to reason as Maggie glared at her.

"Just a candy bar? Who knows when we'll see another one of those. So who took it?" Maggie questioned as she stepped up to Tara, forcing her to back up into the front door.

Now, Tara regretted eating that damn candy bar. Sure, Maggie had some crazy mood swings in the past three months but this one was definitely the craziest. And Tara wasn't afraid to admit she could be scared when Maggie was hormonal.

"It was you, wasn't it? That's why you seem so nervous!" Maggie turned to Daryl who did look a bit startled.

"Nah...I didn't eat your chocolate. I'm just a bit nervous cuz you scare me and I wanna live," Daryl confessed as Maggie glared at him to see if he was telling the truth. After a few seconds, she decided that Daryl was being truthful.

"And none of y'all took it?" Maggie asked the occupants on the couch.

"Nope! We didn't take it!" Abraham held his hands up in surrender as Rosita and Carol shook their heads. Abraham definitely didn't want to mess with a hormonal Maggie. He felt sorry for Tara.

Maggie took a look at her housemates for a few seconds before heading to the front door. "I'm gonna see if Rick and them know anything."

"Babe, that's probably not necessary," Tara tried to argue but stopped once Maggie sent her a death glare.

"I mean...proceed..." Tara stepped out of the way as Maggie took the short walk next door to interrogate the others.

"Man, you're in trouble!" Abraham chuckled, quite amused by the situation caused by a bit of chocolate.

"Shut up! Hopefully, she'll just forget about it," Tara hoped as she sat down on the recliner next to the couch.

"Yeah, if you're lucky but I doubt you will be," Carol smirked clearly entertained by Tara's misfortune.

"You're so dead!" Rosita laughed at Tara, who simply glared at her.

There were a few tense minutes until they all heard the back door open and shut, indicating that Maggie was back. They all stayed where they were at, wanting to avoid the pregnant woman's wrath. They heard some more rummaging around in the kitchen until there was some silence.

"Tara Ranae Chambler! Get in here, right now!" Maggie yelled from the kitchen which caused Tara to gulp. The rest of the group looked at Tara like she was going to her own funeral.

Tara stood up, gathering all her courage as she slowly walked to the kitchen, ignoring the smiles from her friends. Tara realized she would rather face one hundred walkers than a mad, hormonal Maggie.

"Fuck." Tara stood in the doorway, and saw that Maggie was holding the wrapper to the Snickers bar in one hand. Maggie's other hand was on her hip, with a very angry look on her face. Even though it was probably not the right time, Tara thought Maggie looked very hot and feisty.

"Hey baby..." Tara tried to put on her most charming smile.

"Don't 'hey baby' me..." Maggie glared at Tara, "you ate my candy bar. I found this wrapper in your backpack."

"Well, technically, it was kinda my candy bar since I found it while on a supply run and-" Tara immediately shut up when she saw the unamused look that Maggie was giving her. Tara decided that groveling was the only way out of this.

"Ok...I did eat it and I'm sorry, but I only did it cuz Carol got you all that chocolate." Tara tried to save herself from her wife's anger.

Maggie took a look at Tara before going into the living room and up the stairs, ignoring the stares from her friends. Tara rushed out after her, following her up into their room.

"Good luck, Chambler!" Abraham yelled some words of encouragement to Tara.

Tara rushed into the bedroom, finding Maggie crying on the small couch that was in the room. Tara knew that Maggie's pregnancy hormones were out of whack but this was crazy and she still had six months of dealing with this.

"I'm really, really, really sorry I ate your chocolate," Tara apologized as she sat down on the couch next to Maggie. She put her arm around Maggie's waist, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry...I'm just so hormonal right now. I don't care if you ate the candy bar," Maggie cried as tears kept running down her face.

"Hey...it's alright, I promise. I know these hormones have got you going crazy, but just a few more months and then Elizabeth will be here," Tara comforted her wife as they sat on the couch for a few minutes.

After a while of comfortable silence, Maggie yawned indicating that she was ready for bed. Tara could feel that Maggie was falling asleep against her.

"Hey come on, let's get ready for bed," Tara suggested as Maggie nodded in agreement. They quickly got ready for bed with Maggie falling asleep almost instantly after the busy day she had. Tara kept her arms around Maggie, letting her hand wander to her wife's stomach, which was now starting to show just a little bit more.

Tara couldn't help but smile when she thought about the events that took place during that evening. Sure, Maggie's mood swings could be very unpredictable but Tara would deal with it as long as it meant that their baby was doing well.

It took Tara awhile to fall asleep. She suddenly got a feeling she just couldn't shake. Tara could only hope that the feeling didn't involve something happening to her growing family.

* * *

The next day went by slow for Tara since she didn't have to go on a supply run with her group. Daryl and Tara decided to go out of the gates for a little while to practice shooting their guns for a bit. They also met up with Rick and Carol who still seemed set on the secret plan.

Carol, Rick, Daryl, and Tara stood on the front porch of the house going over the plan for that night at the party.

"When Olivia arrives at the party, that means that the armory is unguarded. So when everyone's at the party mingling, I will go to armory and get a few more guns so our people have a fighting chance," Carol explained as everyone agreed to the plan.

"Yeah, I'm sure no one will notice if you leave," Tara said as Carol gave her a sly smile.

"That's the point of being invisible. No one notices you when you're gone," Carol smiled mischievously.

"Ok so that's the plan to get more fire power. Where are we gonna stash them?" Rick asked. He didn't want the possibility of anyone finding the stolen guns.

"I can keep 'em in my room. No one will ever go in there, 'cept maybe Tara or Carol," Daryl suggested as Rick seemed satisfied with that answer.

"You think it's still a good idea to keep this from the others?" Tara asked. She felt a bit guilty for keeping this whole secret from Maggie, who desperately wanted this place to work out for them.

"As long as none of these people find the weapons, we should be safe. But if we get caught, we need to make sure that no one else suffers the consequences, so keepin' the rest in the dark is the best thing to do right now," Rick went over as Tara agreed. She definitely didn't want Maggie to get mixed up in this mess just in case they got caught with stolen firearms.

"I know you're feelin' a little apprehensive about not tellin' Maggie but this is the only way to keep her safe. To keep your unborn child safe. These people don't know how to survive. Hell, a walker could walk into these gates and no one would know what to do. No one has weapons in case a wall breaks suddenly. We need to make sure our family is safe," Rick explained to Tara who simply nodded in agreement.

The small group agreed to their finalized plans before going their separate ways to get ready for the upcoming party that was set to start in a couple of hours. Tara went upstairs to her and Maggie's bedroom where she laid down on the soft bed to take a quick nap since she didn't get much sleep the night before.

She was awoken about an hour later by Maggie gently shaking her arm. Tara opened her brown eyes to see Maggie's beautiful green ones looking back at her.

"Hey sleepyhead, it's time to get up and get ready for the party," Maggie smiled, thinking Tara looked so cute being half asleep.

Tara groaned, "Alright...I'm gettin' up."

Maggie disappeared into the bathroom to put on a little makeup. It had been so long since she had the opportunity to do so. Plus, Maggie had been so sure that she would never see makeup ever again when they had been outside of the walls.

Tara sighed as she forced herself to get up to get ready. Tara grabbed the clothes that Maggie had laid out for her and quickly changed. She looked at herself in the mirror in the room and thought she looked pretty good.

Maggie had picked out a pair of cargo pants and a nice blue plaid shirt which Tara buttoned up and rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. Tara had to admit, she was looking pretty sharp. The watch that Carl had given her finished up the outfit nicely as she looked at herself some more in the mirror.

"Wow...you're lookin' pretty hot," Maggie replied as she walked into the room. Tara turned to look at her and could barely breathe as she took in Maggie's beauty.

Maggie was wearing a light blue shirt that was low cut, hugging her curves in all the right places and a pair of tight jeans. Her hair was curled slightly, and the necklace Tara had given her a few months ago dangled around her neck. Simply put, Tara thought Maggie was the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on.

"What?" Maggie asked feeling Tara's intense stare.

"You look so gorgeous," Tara smiled as she pulled Maggie close. Tara knew Maggie could look good in anything she put on, but seeing her so dressed up was something Tara had never witnessed before and she wanted to take full advantage.

"You're just sayin' that cuz you have to," Maggie replied, feeling her cheeks blush. Maggie thought Tara was looking pretty hot herself.

"No, I'm not. You look so beautiful. I'm thinkin' we ditch this party and I can show you how gorgeous you are in bed," Tara wiggled her eyebrows as she suggested her idea.

"Afterwards you can show me," Maggie promised as she gave Tara a seductive smile.

"Ugh...I don't wanna wait," Tara complained as she let her hands roam all over Maggie's body, feeling herself get turned on.

Tara took the opportunity to lean down and capture Maggie's lips into her own. Maggie responded to the kiss, wrapping her arms around Tara's neck. Tara let her tongue slip into Maggie's mouth, wanting to taste and explore Maggie. Both of them were breathing heavily as their bodies yearned for each other. Maggie finally pulled away, letting her arousal calm down.

"Settle down, now! We gotta leave now since we're already late and I bet the others are there already," Maggie said as Tara groaned in protest. Tara could tell that she was pretty turned on, hoping that her lust wasn't too noticeable in her pants.

"Fine...let's get this thing over with so I can come back here and fuck you later," Tara whispered in Maggie's ear before nibbling on it. Maggie felt shivers go down her spine, anticipating what was to come later.

The young couple walked to the Monroe household hand in hand. Tara couldn't get over how beautiful Maggie looked in the moonlight that shined down on them. Tara couldn't believe that she was so lucky to have someone as loving and caring as Maggie.

They arrived at Deanna's house a few minutes later. Tara knocked on the door and were greeted by Deanna's youngest son, Spencer.

"Hey there! Let's see...Tara and Maggie, right?" Spencer guessed as they nodded.

"Yeah, that's us," Tara replied as she shook Spencer's hand in greeting.

"You're the one who kicked Aiden's ass the other day. Awesome job by the way!" Spencer laughed as he raised his hand for a high five.

"Umm...thanks?" Tara was confused by his reaction.

"Don't get me wrong. I love my brother but someone needed to beat his ass. He's too cocky for his own good at times," Spencer explained as Tara found herself liking him more and more.

"Well, I'll be glad to do it again if needed," Tara remarked as Spencer just chuckled.

"Both of you make yourselves at home. If you need anything just let me know. And if Aiden's being a jerk, feel free to punch him again," Spencer stepped aside to let the young couple in.

"Well, he's definitely more pleasant than his brother," Maggie commented as Tara led her into the living room.

Deanna and her husband, Reg, caught sight of them as they entered the room. Deanna gave Maggie a hug while Reg shook Tara's hand.

"I'm glad you two made it! Please mingle around, drink, eat, and have fun. If you need anything just let me know. And Maggie...it's so good to see you dear. You are absolutely glowing! I bet you two are excited," Deanna beamed at the couple in front of her.

"Extremely excited," Tara couldn't help but smile as they talked about the baby.

"Well, we'll see you two around. Have fun," Reg said as he led Deanna over to where Rick was standing with Jessie. Tara knew that Rick had a thing for Jessie, even though she was married.

A few other people introduced themselves to the young couple, being a little too friendly. Maggie grabbed a soda off the beverage table and grabbed a beer for Tara.

"A woman after my own heart," Tara smiled as she took the beer from Maggie, taking a long gulp.

"Behave now and don't drink too much. I'm gonna go talk with Carol and Michonne. Have fun," Maggie gave Tara a quick kiss before she went off into the direction of their friends.

Tara couldn't help but watch Maggie walk away, taking a drink while doing so. She couldn't help but think about how hot her wife looked and how she couldn't wait to get her home later.

Tara then noticed that Aiden and Nicholas were also staring at Maggie. Also, with them was another man who had black hair and an intense gaze. Tara forgot his name but knew it was Robert or Roger.

She glared at all three of them as she saw how their eyes hungrily went up and down her wife's body. Tara tried to control her anger but was starting to fail miserably. Tara finished her drink, throwing the bottle away. Just as she was about to confront the men about their disrespect, someone stood in front of her.

"You're looking sharp tonight," Nicole smiled as she handed Tara a glass that had some type of liquor in it. Tara decided to try to calm down and not make a scene in the Monroe house.

"You're looking pretty good yourself," Tara complimented as she allowed herself a quick glance at what Nicole was wearing. Nicole was wearing a low cut blouse that showed the right amount of cleavage with a pair of skinny jeans.

Nicole blushed at Tara's innocent words. "So how are you doing?"

"I'm doing good. Just gettin' used to being part of a community. It's kinda weird after being out there so long," Tara said as she looked at the liquor in the glass.

"What is this by the way?" Tara asked as she took a whiff of the drink.

"It's scotch, I think. I just remember you saying that you liked dark liquor when we were out looking for everyone," Nicole recalled as she took a sip of wine.

"Yeah, I do love liquor," Tara laughed as she drank the entire glass in one gulp. She winced slightly as the warm alcohol went down her throat. Spencer came by with a bottle of scotch and immediately refilled Tara's glass.

"There's plenty of more where that came from so don't be shy," Spencer grinned, clearly having had a few drinks already.

"Thanks, man," Tara raised her glass as it clanked against Spencer's. They both downed their scotch in one gulp before Spencer refilled their cups again.

Tara gave Spencer a fist bump before he took off to talk to Sasha. Tara watched as he stumbled a bit on his way to the other side of the room. Spencer was definitely a breath of fresh air when compared to Aiden.

Nicole laughed at Spencer's antics before turning her attention back to Tara. "You should come over to my house sometime so we can catch up."

"That sounds good, I guess. I can come visit sometime or whatever," Tara gulped down her third drink. She went to the beverage table followed by Nicole as she poured herself another drink.

Nicole reached up and placed her hand on Tara's shoulder. "Hope you get along better with Aiden on the next supply run. I don't need you getting into more fights."

"I could beat his ass anytime," Tara said as she finished the drink in her hand. Tara noticed that Carol was sneaking out of the party to go raid the armory according to the plan.

Maggie took a look from where she was socializing with Deanna over to where Tara was standing. Tara was standing against a wall with Nicole being too close for her liking. They were laughing about something as Maggie felt her jealously grow as Nicole ran her hand up and down Tara's arm, letting her fingers graze Tara's tattoos.

Daryl stood by Maggie as he watched the scene in front of him, drinking a beer. He knew Maggie was getting jealous so he decided to help Tara out, otherwise the whole household would have to suffer another one of Maggie's mood swings.

Daryl walked over to Tara, throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, buddy. You've had enough to drink for now and I need some fresh air. Let's go out and smoke a couple of cigs."

"Sounds good, man," Tara slightly slurred as Daryl led her away. "See you later, Nicole." Tara smiled her charming smile before being taken away by her best friend.

Maggie couldn't help but giggle as Daryl led Tara out the side door into the patio area. She saw Nicole watch as they left before making eye contact with her. Nicole gave her a small smile before going to talk to some other townspeople.

Maggie took a drink of her soda as she turned back to her conversation with Deanna. "Maggie, sweetie, will you go to the kitchen and get some more ice?" the older woman asked.

"Oh yeah, no problem," Maggie smiled as she walked to the kitchen which was cut off from the living room since one had to go through the dining room to get there. Maggie listened as the sounds of the party began to grow quieter as she entered the lonely kitchen. She didn't notice that Aiden, Nicholas, and Roger were following her.

Maggie grabbed a bowl and filled it with ice. Just as she turned to walk out of the room, Maggie ran into a solid body. The ice fell out of the bowl and onto the floor.

"A bit clumsy aren't you?" Aiden said with a smile telling that he was up to no good.

"I'm just gettin' some ice so let me by," Maggie tried to keep herself composed, not knowing what the men's intentions were.

"Well, I just wanna talk, right Nick and Roger?" Aiden asked Nicholas and the unfamiliar man who stood watch at the doorway.

"Yeah...just wanna talk," Nicholas snickered as he eyed Maggie with lust in his eyes.

"Just leave me alone before I tell Tara and the rest of my group," Maggie threatened as Aiden simply laughed.

Aiden pushed Maggie up against the refrigerator, letting his hands roam up and down her body. Maggie pushed him away and tried to step away from the man. Unfortunately, Aiden was stronger as he grabbed Maggie, forcing her back against the fridge. He inhaled the perfume that was on Maggie's neck.

"You know...it's been a while since I've fucked someone. No good women were available until your hot little number turned up," Aiden smirked as he pushed his body against Maggie's. She tried to push him away but couldn't since he was too strong.

Aiden rubbed her groin against hers, letting his hands run up her body. The others seemed eager for their turn as they kept a watch out for any intruders. Suddenly, there was a voice coming from the living room.

"Aiden get in here! Come drink a beer with me, man!" Spencer's voice called from the other room.

Aiden groaned in frustration as he backed away from Maggie, glaring at her. He was about to walk away before he thought better of it. Aiden backed Maggie up against the fridge again.

"You even think of telling anyone what happened here and I will make your life a living hell. I will hurt in more ways that you can't even imagine. Besides, who do you think my mom would believe? Plus, I can make it so that Tara and Daryl never come back from a supply run...maybe have a tragic accident?" Aiden threatened through gritted teeth.

"So keep your fuckin' mouth shut. This isn't the first time we've done this. So stay quiet and we won't hurt your family," Nicholas glared at Maggie before the men walked out of the kitchen.

Maggie took a few minutes to compose herself, not sure what had exactly transpired just then. Her heart was racing and tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she kept them at bay as she remembered Aiden's threat. It wouldn't do anyone any good if she was a crying mess, especially if Tara saw her. Tara would want to know what was wrong and who knows what would happen if she found out. Maggie didn't want Aiden to hurt Daryl or Tara while on a supply run.

Plus, Maggie wasn't sure if Deanna would believe such accusations against her oldest son. If she told, she would be put under scrutiny and ultimately, it would be his word against hers. Maggie desperately needed this place to work out for the well being of her child. So even though Maggie knew it was the wrong thing to do, she decided to keep this incident to herself.

Maggie wiped a few stray tears away as she heard footsteps coming her way. Maggie quickly pulled herself together and plastered on a fake smile as Deanna walked in.

"Hey, are you alright? It was taking you a while so I decided to check on you and make sure you're ok," Deanna said with concern.

"Oh yeah...I'm fine. Just not feelin' so great. I think I'm gonna grab Tara and head home," Maggie gave the older woman a fake smile. Deanna stared at her for a few seconds.

"Are you sure you're ok? Do you need to talk about anything?" Deanna could see through Maggie's facade but wasn't exactly sure what was troubling the pregnant woman.

"Yeah...I'm just not feelin' good. I think I'll feel better after some rest," Maggie lied as Deanna nodded.

"Alright...get some rest then. I'll see you tomorrow and thank you and Tara for coming out. She's quite the jokester that one is," Deanna laughed as she remembered a few inappropriate jokes that Tara had told her and Reg that evening.

"Yeah...Tara's great," Maggie said, wanting to get out of that house and far away from Aiden and Nicholas.

"Ok well, goodnight. I'll see you in the morning. And remember, if you ever need to talk I'm here," Deanna replied as she gave Maggie a quick hug.

"Thank you, Deanna. I really appreciate it," Maggie forced a smile before walking back into the living room. She immediately saw Aiden, Roger, and Nicholas standing by a window, looking at her.

Maggie ignored their lustful stares as she walked to where Tara was. Tara was in the middle of a conversation with Daryl, Rick, and Abraham about past sport teams or cars. Maggie wasn't really paying any attention as she grabbed Tara's arm.

"Hey babe...what's wrong?" Tara asked as she could tell that Maggie wasn't quite alright.

"Nothin'...I just don't feel good and wanna go home," Maggie lied as she held onto Tara's arm.

"Alright, baby...we can go," Tara wrapped her arm around Maggie's waist before saying goodbye to her friends. As they walked out the door, Tara waved to Noah and Carl who were by the beverage bar. Maggie made eye contact with Aiden who simply gave her a knowing smirk.

The young couple walked back home in silence as Tara tried to figure out what was bothering Maggie. She thought about her actions at the party and if she had done something to upset Maggie.

"You sure you're ok?" Tara asked again as Maggie nodded.

"I'm fine...just tired," Maggie replied as Tara dropped the subject. Tara figured Maggie would tell her what the problem was when she was ready to.

* * *

They finally made it back as Tara opened the door for her wife. Maggie knew if she thought about what had happened that night then she would get emotional and Tara wouldn't relent until she knew what was wrong. Maggie couldn't have that...not yet at least. She just wanted to get her mind off of the events of that evening.

"Maggie...if something's bothering you then you should tell m-" Tara was cut off by Maggie forcing her against the door, kissing her roughly.

Tara quickly forgot about what she was saying as she grabbed Maggie, pining her against the nearest wall. Tara captured Maggie's lips into her own, feeling herself get rock hard as Maggie deliberately rubbed against her.

Tara bit down gently on Maggie's neck, causing the other woman to moan. Tara resumed kissing Maggie, biting down on her lip. Maggie grabbed the buttons on Tara's shirt, unbuttoning them in a frenzy so she could feel the warm skin underneath, her lips never leaving Tara's. Maggie didn't care that anyone could walk in at any minute, she needed Tara now more than ever.

"Fuck me...fuck, I need you right now.." Maggie begged as Tara could feel the tightness in her pants grow more intense at Maggie's pleading.

Tara wasted no time as she picked Maggie up and carried her to the dining room table. Tara knew they had time before the others got back and she couldn't make it to the bedroom...the urgency was just too much.

She gently laid Maggie down on the table before roughly tearing off the clothes Maggie was wearing. Tara took her time sliding Maggie's red lacy panties down her long legs as Maggie begged for her not to tease.

Tara stuffed the panties into her pocket before grabbing the chair that she had kicked out of their way. Tara immediately scooted the chair up and moved her face between Maggie's legs, kissing her thighs, slowly working to Maggie's wet pussy. Tara dipped her tongue into Maggie once again, savoring her flavor for a moment before moving up to her clit. Circling with her tongue, Tara toyed with Maggie's clit, teasing it with her tongue as she moved her hand up to Maggie's wet opening.

Maggie wiped the horrible evening from her mind, opening herself completely to Tara, feeling Tara penetrate her with her fingers as Tara's tongue drove her wild. In just a few minutes, Maggie came as she arched her back off the table, grabbing ahold of Tara's hair. After calming down a bit, Maggie looked down and saw Tara move her head from her pussy, Tara's face glistening with saliva and Maggie's juices.

Tara couldn't contain her lust as she quickly unbuckled her belt and unzipped her pants, letting them fall to the floor. Tara moved toward Maggie, her cock, hard and ready. Reaching down and grabbing Tara, Maggie pulled Tara to her, gasping loudly as Tara plunged her erection deep inside her. Still sensitive from her first orgasm, Maggie immediately felt the pleasure building in her again and moaned as she came in just moments as Tara continued thrusting into her. Tara held off as long as she could as she felt a gush of warm wetness coat the head of her thick cock.

The table creaked as it began scooting across the floor under the onslaught of Tara's fast and forceful movements. Maggie reached up, wrapping her arms around Tara's body as she pounded into her, their bodies slapping loudly against each other.

"Fuck...Tara...Tara..." Maggie could hardly make any coherent words as Tara fucked her relentlessly, having no mercy.

Wrapping her legs around Tara's waist, Maggie endured each savage thrust as Tara fucked her like she had never been fucked before. It was primal, savage in intensity as Tara finally arched her back, lifting Maggie off the table as she came. Maggie was overcome with pleasure as she felt another orgasm ripple throughout her body, her pussy convulsing around Tara's hard cock. Tara felt herself explode inside of Maggie as their juices mixed together, filling up Maggie to the brim.

Maggie felt herself slam back onto the table as Tara collapsed onto her, Tara's weight crushing her breasts, taking her breath away. Maggie fought to breathe, wheezing under Tara for several moments before Tara rose up and held her body weight off of Maggie. After a few minutes of heavy breathing and calming down, Tara pulled away.

Maggie whimpered as she felt Tara pull out. Tara stared at her intensely as she pulled up her pants and buttoned them up. Maggie watched as Tara picked up the discarded clothes on the floor, throwing them on her shoulder. Suddenly, Maggie felt herself being lifted up off the table as Tara carried her up the stairs to their room.

"I'm not through with you yet.." Tara whispered in Maggie's ear causing her to shiver.

Afterwards, Tara passed out, falling into a deep sleep. Maggie rolled away from the comfort of the warm body next to her. She tried not to think about the incident that had happened that evening, but failed miserably. Maggie cried herself to sleep, hoping that their little piece of Utopia wasn't just some fake facade.

* * *

The next couple of days passed without incident. Tara knew that something was wrong with Maggie but every time she tried to talk to her, she was shut down. So Tara decided to let it go for now, figuring it was the pregnancy hormones.

Maggie, meanwhile, stayed out of the three men's way. She always made sure she wasn't alone in the house and if no one was home she went to Rick or Deanna's house. Maggie knew she would have to tell Tara what had happened but every time she tried to, Aiden's threat would resurface and she would keep quiet.

That evening, Rick called an emergency meeting with Tara, Carol, and Daryl. They were all on Rick's front porch, watching as half of the town's streetlights worked. Sometime the other night, half of the town had lost power. Eugene knew how to fix the problem, he just needed the parts.

In the morning, Daryl, Tara, Eugene, and Noah had a supply run with Aiden and Nicholas to an abandoned warehouse to find the components of a power grid that were needed. Of course, Eugene was reluctant to go but he was the only person who could identify what they were looking for.

"We have a problem," Rick announced as his friends looked at him, wondering what was wrong.

"What?" Tara asked. She couldn't recall any emergencies happening within the community.

"Jessie's husband is hittin' her. Her youngest son wanted a gun cuz he wants to protect his mother. We can't let this go on," Rick angrily said.

"Pete? The surgeon? What should we do? Does Deanna know?" Tara asked. She didn't know the situation but she knew Jessie didn't deserve to be abused.

"Deanna knows...she just thought it would get better. She didn't want to exile him cuz he's a doctor," Rick told the others, still a bit upset about the conversation he had with the leader earlier.

"There's only one way this will end. He's gonna kill her. We need to kill him before that happens," Carol commented with no emotion.

"Can't we just separate them or exile him?" Tara wasn't sure they should risk their place in Alexandria because of Pete.

"If we separate them, he can still hurt her. If we exile him, he could lead other bad people here. We can't have that, especially when these people are weak," Rick observed as they watched someone walk by on the sidewalk.

"What if it was Maggie?" Carol questioned, knowing what Tara's weakness was.

"I would kill him in a heartbeat. Alright...we can kill him. Just make sure it's done the right way and doesn't blow up in our faces," Tara agreed as Daryl nodded.

"Fine...we kill him. We'll come up with a plan later, but it's late so you and Daryl get some rest since y'all have that run in the mornin'," Rick said to Tara as Daryl and Carol headed back to the house.

Tara sat in her seat for awhile longer as Rick watched the other two walk the short distance back home.

"You ok?" Rick asked as Tara nodded.

"Yeah, just talking about this reminded me of my older sister who's good for nothin' ex-husband used to beat her," Tara revealed to Rick as he sat down next to her.

"How did you handle it? Knowing you...you wouldn't let that slide by," Rick asked as Tara laughed.

"I beat the shit out of that fucker. I would've killed him too, if I could have. So this whole killin' Pete thing...I'm ok with it," Tara said as she stood up.

"I know you're still worried about Maggie but don't worry...this is a safe place for her as long as we keep up what we're doin'" Rick replied as he patted Tara on the back. They both didn't know at the time how wrong Rick was going to be.

* * *

The next morning, Tara, Daryl and Eugene got ready for their supply run. Maggie watched with amusement as Tara and Daryl argued over who would wash the breakfast dishes until finally Tara relented and cleaned the kitchen.

The trio headed out the door with Maggie to the armory where their van was waiting. Along the way, they picked up Noah and walked as a group together until they saw Deanna and Reg waiting by the building.

Aiden greeted them with a cheery smile. "Hey guys! Ready to rock n' roll today? Hopefully, we can get power up and running by tonight."

Aiden turned to Tara, "I'm sorry about bein' an asshole the other day. Truce?" he held out his hand for a handshake.

Tara stared at Aiden's hand for a second before shaking it. "Yeah, truce, man."

Aiden patted Tara's back as she went into the building to get some more supplies and ammo for their run. Of course, Tara had no idea what Aiden had done to Maggie the other night.

Aiden looked at Maggie, giving her a sly smile that told her he could get away with anything. Maggie immediately looked away, not wanting to make eye contact with him or Nicholas. She watched as the others got ready for their scouting trip.

"I don't need to go. I told y'all I'm not equipped to defend myself outside of these walls," Eugene pleaded as his remarks fell on deaf ears. Noah handed him a gun.

"You're goin'. Last thing we need is to turn right back around cuz we picked up the wrong shit. So you're goin' and that's final," Aiden said in a tone that meant no more arguing. Eugene kept quiet after that.

Daryl threw a few more guns into the van, giving Tara a playful push as he headed to get more supplies. Maggie watched as the best friends had a mini shoving match before getting back to the task at hand.

"So I saw you talking to Holly the other night at the party. What's up with that?" Tara asked Noah as the young man sheepishly looked away.

"Nothin'...I was just talkin' to her," Noah slyly said as Tara grinned.

"You like her, don't you?" Tara asked.

"Umm...I don't know," Noah avoided answering the question.

"You do! If you need any tips on how to talk to girls, just know that I'm an expert," Tara declared as she threw a bag into the van.

"Yeah, it only took you months to tell Maggie how you felt," Daryl commented as Noah laughed.

"Fuck you," Tara playfully threw up the middle finger to Daryl who simply chuckled.

Finally, the van was packed and everyone was ready to go. Aiden said goodbye to his parents as Deanna told him to be careful. Maggie moved away from the family, giving Tara a hug and kiss goodbye.

"Be careful out there. Be sure to get back to us safely," Maggie smiled as she held Tara close. She ignored the knowing smile that Aiden was giving her way.

"I'll always come back to you and Peanut," Tara winked as she placed her hand on Maggie's stomach.

Tara went down on her knees, placing a kiss on Maggie's stomach. "Alright, Peanut, you be good until I get back. Don't give your momma too much trouble."

Maggie smiled as she pulled Tara to her feet, giving her a sensual kiss. " I love you."

"I love you too," Tara replied as she hugged Maggie close, not wanting to let go.

"Hey! Tara let's go!" Nicholas yelled from the passenger seat.

Tara gave Maggie one last hug before jumping into the back of the van with Noah, Daryl, and Eugene. Aiden looked at the occupants in the backseat, grinning like an idiot.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Aiden started the van as loud rock music came out of the speakers.

The van took off as Maggie waved one last time, watching the vehicle disappear down the road. She hoped Tara wouldn't be gone too long, already missing her calming presence.

* * *

The group in the van was mostly quiet since the loud music drowned out any possible conversation. Tara's mind kept wandering to the talk and decision that had been made about Pete the night before. Tara could only hope that they were doing the right thing.

After about an hour of driving, the van finally arrived at an abandoned storage warehouse, parking at a back entrance. All six of the occupants climbed out of the vehicle, getting their weapons and ammo ready. Tara threw on her backpack, ready to get this supply run over with.

"So we'll get in, get what we need, and get out," Aiden ordered as he collected all his guns.

"Maybe we should do a perimeter check. Make sure we know where all the exits are in case things go south in there," Tara suggested as Nicholas glared at her.

"Nah...that's not how we do things," Nicholas replied as Aiden thought it over.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Aiden said as Tara was surprised that he agreed with her for once.

"Me and shortstop here will take the south side," Daryl announced as he and Noah headed in that direction.

"I'll go with Eugene. We'll cover the east side and you two can take the west. Whoever's done first can check the front," Tara advised as Aiden nodded in agreement.

Tara grabbed Eugene and led him away before the other men could change their mind. Eugene stayed close to Tara as she kept an eye out for any walkers.

One walker came at them from behind a trailer, Tara grabbed its shirt as she plunged her knife into the walker's weak skull. It's lifeless body fell at her feet as Eugene cowered away.

"Hey, don't worry Eugene. I've got you," Tara said as she looked around their surroundings, her ears listening for any out of place noises.

"I don't think I should be out here. I brought y'all to Washington DC and that's my contribution to the group," Eugene shakily said as he awkwardly held the small automatic gun in his hands.

"Come on, man. Don't be a coward. I won't let anything happen to you. You're like Abraham and Rosita's grown love child...so you're safe with me," Tara laughed as they joined the others at an entrance to the warehouse.

Daryl and Noah were the last ones to arrive at their meeting spot. Daryl informed the others that the front entrance of the warehouse was full of walkers so they couldn't go out that way if there was trouble.

The group entered the abandoned warehouse, promptly looking through the aisles for parts for the power generator. Tara and Eugene searched through boxes, looking for what was needed. Their flashlights shining brightly as Eugene quickly read label after label on the boxes.

Aiden, Noah, Daryl, and Nicholas looked around for any stray walkers in the building. Aiden became a bit startled as a chain link fence rattled as about fifty walkers stormed behind it. He lifted his gun to shoot at the numerous undead but was stopped by Daryl.

"They're fine. As long as they stay behind the fence, we're good," Daryl said as Aiden took a last look at the fence before searching through the aisles.

"Hey Tara...thanks for that suggestion outside. You really know your stuff," Aiden complimented as Tara simply shrugged.

"We were out there for a long time. After a while, you pick up things," Tara kept her concentration on finding the parts they needed.

Eugene shined his flashlight on a box, reading the label. "This one!"

Tara grabbed her knife, cutting open the box, grabbing the contents inside. Eugene inspected the parts that were in the box.

"These are it!" Eugene confirmed as Tara opened another box. She quickly put about fifteen converters into her bag as the others gave Eugene some words of encouragement.

"Way to go, man!" Daryl called out to Eugene, who was still nervous about being there.

Suddenly, Aiden was confronted by a walker that was wearing riot gear, a grenade attached to its bulletproof vest. Aiden panicked as he shot at the well protected walker numerous times, each bullet failing to bring it down.

Daryl became alarmed when he realized that Aiden was unknowingly shooting at a live grenade. He tried to reach the frightened man as fast as he could but was blocked by toppled over shelves.

"Aiden! Stop shooting!" Daryl yelled as the others looked on, not quite knowing what was going on.

"No Aiden! Don't stop! Kill that son of a bitch!" Nicholas screamed as Aiden kept shooting.

"Aiden!" Daryl shouted but was too late as one bullet hit the grenade causing a small explosion in the room.

Daryl heard a loud bang as he felt himself go flying into some shelves, knocking over numerous boxes. He took a few seconds to compose himself before he shot to his feet, looking for the others. The smoke from the grenade was slowly clearing as he caught sight of Nicholas getting up.

"Tara! Noah! Eugene! Where are y'all?" Daryl shouted as he felt someone walking up behind him. He quickly turned to see Noah, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You ok?" Daryl asked as Noah nodded his head.

"Yeah...I'm fine," Noah answered as they both caught sight of Aiden. The young man's body had been impaled by three long metal bars.

"Go check on him!" Daryl called to Nicholas as the chain link fence holding back the walkers started to crumble.

Nicholas ran to Aiden, barely checking his pulse. "He's gone! Let's get out of here!"

Daryl ignored Nicholas's protests as he called for his two remaining friends. "Tara! Eugene!"

"Over here!" Eugene called as Daryl and Noah ran to him. They looked Eugene over to see if he had any injuries but other than a few bruises, he seemed fine.

"Tara! Where are you?" Daryl yelled, shining his flashlight around him, looking for his best friend. Panic settled in as Daryl couldn't spot Tara anywhere.

"Tara!" Daryl screamed, running up and down aisles with Noah and Eugene right behind him.

"I'm here!" Tara weakly called from the back of the warehouse. The others ran as fast as they could to where the sound of Tara's voice came from.

Daryl wasn't prepared for what he saw when they finally reached Tara. She was sitting up against the wall, a metal rod was sticking out of her side. The other end was stuck in the wall.

"Shit," Daryl muttered under his breath.

"Do you think we can pull it out?" Noah asked as Tara winced in pain with every slight movement.

"Nah...if we do that, then she could bleed out," Daryl shot down the idea as he tried to think of something.

Suddenly, they all heard the chain link fence break down as numerous walkers breached the only protection they had. They could hear walkers rummaging around in the warehouse.

"Fuck we gotta do somethin'," Daryl tried to pull the metal rod out of the wall but it wouldn't budge. Tara tried to keep herself composed even though every movement Daryl made sent agony through her weak body.

"We're gonna have to push you off of it!" Daryl yelled. He hated the idea but it was the only way they could get her free.

"Or you could just leave me. Save yourselves," Tara chuckled in obvious pain.

"Nah, we ain't ever gonna leave you. Remember...Maggie and the baby are waitin' for ya," Daryl tried to give Tara some words of encouragement and remind her what was at stake.

Daryl moved so he was behind Tara, hands on her shoulders. "Alright...on the count of three I'm gonna push and you just pull yourself forward. It's gonna hurt like hell, but it's the only way to free you."

"Ok...I can do this," Tara's breathing was labored as the intense pain shot through her body. She tried to mentally prepare herself for what was going to happen next.

"One...two...three..." Daryl counted, pushing roughly against Tara's shoulders as she pulled herself free of the metal bar stuck in the wall.

Tara's cries of pain filled the area as agony came over her. She dropped to the floor, clutching her side, her hand quickly filling with blood. Daryl grabbed a rag off of the floor, stuffing the cloth into Tara's wound, despite her cries of torment.

"Fuck!" Tara winced as she tried to ignore the misery her body was in.

Nicholas ran up to them, panic all over his face. "We gotta leave! Walkers are crawling all over the place!"

"Alright, Noah help me get Tara up!" Daryl said urgently as they both tried to pull a weak Tara to her feet. Suddenly, they all heard a scream of agony.

"That's Aiden!" Tara coughed, trying to keep her breathing even. She felt herself cough up some blood.

"I thought you said he was dead!" Daryl yelled at Nicholas who looked so timid and scared.

"I swear I thought he was!" Nicholas stammered.

"You guys gotta help him! Go! I'll be ok!" Tara didn't want to leave anybody behind.

"Three people are gonna have to get him down. Eugene, can you help Tara get to the van?" Daryl asked as Eugene nodded nervously. With that, Daryl, Noah, and a reluctant Nicholas went to go help Aiden.

Tara threw her arm over Eugene's shoulder, her other hand holding her gun weakly. They slowly hobbled to the van, shooting walkers that seemed to come out of no where. About halfway there, Tara leaned against a wall, weaker than ever as she lost more and more blood. Daryl had tried to stuff the rag into her wound but blood still seeped out.

"Just go...I can't make it," Tara gave up as she fell against the wall, clutching her side.

"No! You can't give up! What about Maggie? Your unborn child? You need to get up. We're almost there...just approximately 300 steps until we reach the van. Now come on!" Eugene grabbed Tara's arm, forcing her to her feet.

Tara thought about Maggie who was waiting for her back in Alexandria. She knew she couldn't give up so easily...Maggie needed her. Tara forced herself to keep going, dispatching walkers until they finally reached the van. Tara stumbled into the back before allowing herself to pass out from the pain.

Eugene immediately started up the van and raced to the front where he saw Nicholas, Noah, and Daryl stuck in the entrance of revolving doors, with many biters surrounding them. Playing music very loudly, Eugene lured away the walkers from the front and waited for his friends.

Suddenly, Nicolas came running up to him. "Get in! We're leaving!"

"Where's Daryl and Noah?" Eugene demanded as Nicholas glared at him.

"They're dead! Now get in!" Nicholas screamed, wanting to be back in the safety of Alexandria already.

"No! Not until I make sure!" Eugene argued as Nicholas threw him against the van.

"Then I'm gonna leave you behind so you can die with your friends!" Nicholas yelled before suddenly he was grabbed away from Eugene. Daryl threw him on the ground, punching him over and over again until he was knocked out.

"Tara!" Daryl ripped open the van door, seeing that Tara was passed out and losing blood fast. He reluctantly tossed Nicholas into the back as the other man started to come to.

Daryl climbed into the driver's seat and drove as fast as he could to Alexandria. Eugene kept his gun trained on Nicholas who went in and out of consciousness.

"What about Aiden and Noah?" Eugene asked as Daryl sighed.

"Aiden was a lost cause. We couldn't get him free, those damn rods were too embedded in his body. I didn't want to leave him but had no choice. That fucker back there...it's his fault Noah's gone. If he had just waited...just waited...Noah would be here. But the prick ran off and I watched the kid get ripped apart by countless walkers. I heard his screams of pain," Daryl let a lone tear escape as Eugene kept quiet.

Daryl remembered being stuck in the revolving doors with Nicholas and Noah. Just when things looked hopeless, Eugene drove by with loud music to draw the walkers away from them. The plan was working as walkers headed away from the doors and towards the parking lot.

Nicholas panicked as his door started to open. Daryl yelled at him to wait since if Nicholas's door opened it would also open Noah's door which still had numerous walkers surrounding it. Nicholas selfishly disregarded Daryl's pleas for him to stop as he escaped and left the others behind.

With the door open, a walker grabbed onto Noah's leg and started to drag him away. Daryl grabbed Noah's arm and tried to pull him back but it was no use. The walkers pulled on Noah as the door shut, trapping him with dozens of walkers. Noah's screams of agony filled the air as he was ripped apart viciously by numerous biters in front of Daryl.

"Now I can't lose Tara, too," Daryl felt a few more tears run down his cheek at the thought of his best friend being another causality in this mess. He could only hope that they made it back to Alexandria in time to save her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Maggie was in a meeting with Reg and Deanna as a construction crewman suggested that Abraham take over the construction operations. Maggie couldn't help but smile at the progress and leadership that her family was displaying.

After the short meeting, Deanna looked at her uncertain. "I'm not sure if I should be giving you guys so many leadership roles so soon."

"With all due respect ma'am, it's kinda the reason you brought us in here - to help y'all survive," Maggie said as Deanna stood up, looking out the window.

"That's true, but I still have my reservations," Deanna replied as she continued to look out the window. There were a few moments of silence before the older woman turned to her.

"Can you go downstairs and get those blueprints for the stronger wall so we can go over them?" Deanna asked as Maggie stood up.

"Of course," Maggie smiled as she went downstairs. She looked around in the piles of paper until she found what she was looking for. Maggie slowly climbed up the stairs, stopping when she heard voices. It sounded like Father Gabriel was talking to Deanna.

Maggie listened in disbelief as Gabriel told Deanna that Alexandria was a paradise but that Rick and his group were Satan disguised as the angel of light and that they had all done terrible things. Gabriel also said that because of that, the family didn't deserve to be in Alexandria and that they were very dangerous. He claimed the outsiders would put themselves before the community.

"Thank you, Gabriel. You gave me a lot to think about," Deanna calmly said as she led the priest to the front door. Maggie let a few moments go by before she emerged from the stairs, blueprints in hand.

Before Maggie could say anything, a car raced to the front of the Monroe household.

"Help! Help! We need help!" Maggie immediately recognized Daryl's screams for aid as she raced out the front door with Deanna.

Daryl's screams had attracted the attention of other town residents as Rick and Michonne ran to the van followed closely by Carol.

"What happened?!" Rick demanded as he pulled open the sliding door of the van, finding Tara unconscious and Nicholas cowering in the corner.

"Things went to shit," Daryl simply said as Deanna ran over to the van.

"Aiden?" Deanna asked with a hopeful voice.

"I'm sorry...he didn't make it. Neither did Noah," Daryl regretfully replied.

Rick and Daryl carried Tara to the infirmary, shouting that they needed immediate medical care. Rosita came running out of a patient room, quite not believing the sight in front of her.

"Nicole! We need all hands on deck and get Pete!" Rosita yelled as Rick and Daryl gently laid Tara on the bed.

Maggie watched in horror as a few nurses and the surgeon tried to stop the bleeding as Tara looked so weak on the bed. She couldn't stop the tears that fell because of Tara's current state. Maggie felt an arm wrap around her shoulders.

"Come on, let's wait in the waiting room," Carol said as she led Maggie to a room full of chairs.

Soon, the rest of the family was in the waiting room except for Carl who was taking care of Judith. Finally, after a couple of hours, Rosita walked out of the surgery wing of the building.

"Tara will be fine. She made it through surgery and we stopped the bleeding. We almost lost her once but she should be ok. She will make a full recovery and probably be able to go home tomorrow. She's still out of it and won't wake up for a few hours but you can sit with her for a bit," Rosita informed everyone as Maggie breathed a sigh of relief.

Rosita led Maggie to Tara's room, where she laid in the bed, unconscious. Maggie sat with Tara for a couple of hours until Carol told her to go take a quick nap since she was falling asleep against the bed.

"Go take a nap for an hour, get something to eat and then come back. Daryl and I will sit with her. You know you need the rest for the baby," Carol said as Maggie reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, but I'll be back in one hour," Maggie got up, leaning down to give Tara a kiss on the forehead.

Maggie walked to their house, waving to a few people she knew who were out on their front porches. Many of them expressing sympathy for Tara and giving their well wishes.

Maggie had no idea what danger was waiting for her at the house.

* * *

Nicholas stomped down the streets of Alexandria, pissed about the events that had taken place. Deanna interviewed him on what had happened at the warehouse. Nicholas had told her that Aiden was acting bravely and was just trying to save everyone when he got distracted by Daryl and Tara.

Nicholas stared at the flashing light on the video camera that was recording the interview.

"Then what happened?" Deanna asked, still clearly mourning the loss of her son.

"Daryl wanted to leave Aiden and Tara behind but I made them go back and try to help them. I wasn't about to leave my best friend behind," Nicholas blatantly lied as Deanna seemed to believe him.

He ended the interview by telling Deanna that the newcomers didn't belong in Alexandria and that they would just cause more and more deaths.

Deanna forbade Nicholas and Daryl from going on anymore runs or going out of the gates until she straightened this mess out. Nicholas angrily marched out of the house, pissed off that the newcomers had managed to mess up his relatively good life in Alexandria.

Nicholas knew he needed to calm down but right now all he wanted was revenge against Rick's group for causing the death of Aiden. He especially wanted vengeance against Daryl and Tara. In his eyes, they were the ones who had killed Aiden.

He walked down the street, passing the infirmary where Daryl was smoking a cigarette outside of the building. Nicholas glared at him as he walked into the building to get a few cuts looked at. He passed the waiting room, seeing all of Rick's group in there. He sighed in disgust, knowing they were all there for Tara.

As he walked past Tara's room, he caught the end of Maggie and Carol's conversation. Nicholas suddenly knew how to hurt the strangers the most. He immediately left the infirmary and ran as fast as he could to where he needed to be.

* * *

Maggie entered her home which was dark since the sun went down already and no one was home. As she walked through the living room, Maggie suddenly felt a malicious presence come up behind her.

She was hit over the head with something hard as Maggie fell to the floor, holding her head in pain. Nicholas appeared over her, and she knew immediately what his intentions were.

"It's Tara and Daryl's fault that Aiden's dead. Well, I'm gonna finish what he started and there's no one to stop me," Nicholas smiled a venomous grin as he lowered himself on Maggie.

Maggie tried to fight back but was ultimately overpowered by the stronger man. She tried to block what was happening from her mind as she hoped that someone would come home. No one came though as Nicholas committed one of the most heinous acts imaginable against Maggie.

Afterwards, Nicholas pulled up his jeans, taking one last look at Maggie. He enjoyed how humiliated and broken down she looked.

"You tell anyone about this..I will do it again and kill you, you fuckin' whore," Nicholas sneered before he left the residence.

Maggie stayed on the floor, still not believing what had just happened. She knew she should get up before someone came around. Maggie knew Carol was expecting her back to Tara's room soon.

Maggie couldn't force herself to get up as she cried over what had just happened and how violated she felt. She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing that Tara was there to make everything better and to make her feel safe again.

Meanwhile, Carol began to worry since Maggie was gone longer than an hour. Rosita had just informed her that Tara would probably wake up in about an hour or so and she knew Maggie would want to be there.

"You've seen Maggie?" Carol asked Daryl as he walked into the room.

"Nah...she might be at the house still," Daryl commented as Carol stood up, getting ready to walk to the house to get Maggie.

"Well, I'm gonna go get her since Tara should be waking up soon," Carol said as Daryl sat in a chair by Tara's bed.

"I'll go with you to go get her," Rosita offered as Carol smiled in appreciation.

The two women walked towards their house, both of them having no idea of the horrible crime that had just been committed against Maggie in their living room. They were both totally unprepared for the horrendous state they would find their best friend in.

* * *

Wow...a lot happened in this chapter. I just couldn't stop writing. What a douchebag Nicholas is! God, I hate that guy. So what will Tara do when she finds out what he did? He will be a goner for sure. And poor Tara got hurt cuz of Aiden's stupidity. As always, Team Family is still trying to adjust to being in the community. Will Rick really kill Pete for Jessie? Is Deanna having second thoughts about Rick's group? Just so many questions...

This chapter's song is "Serpents" (The Walking Dead version) by Sharon Van Etten.

As always thank you guys for all your reviews, messages, views, follows, and faves. I appreciate them all and I love you all! Hope you guys have a great day and thanks for reading!

I will probably stick to a schedule of updating one story once a week so next week my other story will be updated and so forth with any other stories I start (I have quite a few ideas for Tara/Maggie! I just have to write them.) I have suddenly become very busy...damn real life but hope this works for y'all. :D


	24. Oats in the Water

Rosita ran as fast as she could back to the infirmary. She needed to get Rick and Daryl back to the house so they could get the fucker who had attacked her best friend, Maggie. Carol had stayed behind to help poor Maggie get to bed and not be alone in case the bastard came back.

She also needed Dr. Fields to make an emergency house call to make sure that Maggie was alright physically. Of course, they didn't have any means to test DNA but she was sure the guys wouldn't need that kind of evidence to kill the bastard who had hurt and raped Maggie. All they would need is for Maggie to identify her attacker. She knew Tara was going to wake up soon and nothing would save the prick when Tara found out what had happened to her wife.

Rosita could feel her eyes get misty when she remembered how they had walked into the house and found the pregnant woman on the living room floor. Maggie had looked so broken and humiliated with blood trickling down her face and bruises forming on her body as she struggled to cover up.

Carol and Rosita immediately rushed over to Maggie as she cried, wanting comfort that only Tara could provide her. Carol had tried to get Maggie to tell them what had happened even though it was obvious from the scene. Rosita thought about the heartbreaking conversation that had taken place just minutes earlier.

"Please tell me what I think happened didn't happen, Maggie," Carol struggled to say as her eyes filled with tears.

Maggie simply looked at her two closest friends as tears ran down her face. "I just wanna take a shower and lay down."

"Who did this?" Rosita asked as she gently placed her hand on Maggie's arm.

"I'm not ready to talk...I just need to get him off of me. Please help me to the shower," Maggie said through sobs as Carol helped her stand up. Maggie all but clung to Carol for dear life, still afraid that Nicholas would come back for another try.

"Go get the others. And Dr. Fields. Tara is gonna wake up soon. She's gonna wanna know who did this," Carol said to Rosita who was already heading out the door to get the rest of their family.

So now, Rosita was sprinting through the serene neighborhood that held a horrible secret. She finally arrived at the infirmary, taking the steps two at a time, not wanting to waste a second.

Rosita ran past her family in the waiting room as they gave her odd looks at her sudden urgency. She found Daryl and Rick in Tara's room, sitting in the uncomfortable chairs. Tara was still out but she was going to wake up very soon. Nicole was also in the room, checking on Tara as Rosita rushed in.

The occupants in the room looked up at her, noticing that Rosita was out of breath from her run. Rick jumped up, immediately knowing that something was wrong by the shattered look on Rosita's face.

"Maggie was attacked at the house. She...she...she was raped," Rosita struggled to say, still not wanting to believe that her friend had been so violently violated.

"What?!" Rick couldn't believe his ears. He could feel sorrow and anger filling his emotions as he looked at Rosita's tear filled face.

"No..." Daryl felt like the breath had been knocked out of him as he hung his head down, eyes staring at the clean floor, not really sure what to think.

A few seconds of silence went by as the only sound being heard was the ticking of the clock on the wall. Daryl sat up, looking at Rick, fury in his blue eyes.

"We need to find the motherfucker who did it and kill him," Daryl tried to keep himself from choking up but he couldn't help it. Maggie was like a little sister to him, and knowing that she had been hurt so badly affected him.

"We will I promise but we need to do this smart. Tara's gonna wanna be the one to deal with this son of a bitch. We need to tell Deanna and then put the bastard in the holding cell so he can't skip town. Tomorrow night, Sasha has guard duty...we can drag the fucker out into the woods and take care of business without anyone seeing a thing. Alright?" Rick explained as Daryl thought the plan over. He didn't want the bastard to live to see another day but he also knew Tara would want to handle the situation.

"Right now, we need to go see Maggie and find out who did this to her. We need to get this fucker in that holdin' cell before Tara wakes up because if he's loose on the streets, she'll kill him in broad daylight and who knows how Deanna will react. So come on," Rick grabbed Daryl's arm as he began to lead him out until he noticed that Nicole was still in the room, listening to every word being said.

"I won't tell anyone about your plan and I'll stay with Tara until y'all get back," Nicole said as she sat down on a now vacated chair by Tara's bed.

"Thank you," Rick replied as he, Daryl, and Rosita left the room, heading towards the waiting room to tell the others of the emergency.

Rosita ran to Dr. Fields' office as the rest of the family quickly headed to Maggie's house, wanting to be there for their friend. Rosita informed the doctor of the situation, who immediately jumped into action. Both women ran to the house, making it there in record time, ignoring the confused looks that various townspeople gave them on the way.

Everyone was gathered in the living room, the mood was melancholy as they thought about what Maggie had just been through. Abraham sat in a chair, vowing to kill whoever had caused Maggie so much pain.

Dr. Fields walked into the room, seeing the sadness written on everyone's face. She had dealt with rape victims before as a doctor and it never got any easier. Each case was horrible and lives were shattered, never to be the same again.

"She's upstairs. Come on," Rick softly said as he led the doctor to the master bedroom.

Rick opened the door as Dr. Fields noticed that Maggie was on the bed, facing away from everyone. Carol was seated in a chair by the bed, refusing to leave Maggie's side.

Dr. Fields sat down gently on the bed, being careful not to startle the distraught young woman. "Hey Maggie...you remember me? I'm Ruth Fields, you visited me the other day with Tara?"

Maggie nodded her head silently as tears started to come out of her eyes. Ruth sighed, hoping that whoever did this would be punished severely.

"I need to give you a quick exam to make sure that everything is alright. Is that ok?" Ruth asked gently as Maggie nodded again.

Rick left the room as Carol stayed behind so Maggie wouldn't be left alone with a stranger. Ruth did a quick exam to make sure that Maggie wasn't severely hurt and checked to make sure her bruises weren't too severe. She also examined the wound that was on Maggie's head where Nicholas had struck her with some unknown object. Maggie held Carol's hand as she tried not to feel violated all over again.

"Did he wear a condom?" Ruth asked as Maggie just nodded in response.

"She also took a shower before you got here," Carol added as Ruth finished up the exam. She quickly bandaged the small cut that was on Maggie's head.

"I don't blame her. It's not like we can collect DNA or anything. I'll send Rick and Michonne up here so she can tell them what happened. She should come to the infirmary to get a more extensive exam in a couple of days or so," Dr. Fields gave the broken down woman one last look before opening the door.

"Thank you, Doc," Carol said as Ruth stepped out of the room and went down the stairs to where the others were anxiously waiting.

Ruth sighed as she looked at the dejected family, their dynamic had been shook to the core. She knew that the newcomers were a close knit group so she could only imagine how this was affecting them all.

"Well, Maggie has various bruises all over her body where her attacker hit her when she tried to fight back. I hate to say this but it was a pretty brutal attack by the looks of it. She should be healing up physically in the next few days but mentally is another story. The baby should be alright but she should come in for a more thorough exam in a couple of days," Ruth announced to the family before Rick thanked her as they walked to the front door.

"I hope you find out who did this and make them pay," Dr. Fields said as she walked onto the porch.

"Believe me...when Tara wakes up, the bastard won't have a chance," Rick promised as he said goodbye to the doctor.

Daryl was immediately by Rick's side as they went upstairs to talk to Maggie. They needed to try to find out who had attacked her so violently. Rick softly knocked on the door which was opened by Carol. They shared a half hearted smile as he entered the room with Daryl close behind.

Maggie turned away from everyone, feeling ashamed about what had happened to her. She felt like she should have done more to stop it. Or that she should have waited to walk home with someone instead of by herself. Maggie knew she shouldn't blame herself but that was all she could do.

"Maggie...who did this?" Rick quietly asked as she turned to face him. Rick could see the bruises on her face and arms from the encounter. He could feel his anger building up again against their unknown suspect. Rick could only imagine Tara's reaction when she saw Maggie in her current state.

Maggie was silent for a couple of minutes as she tried to collect her thoughts. Carol sent her a look of encouragement as she held her hand.

"Please tell us, Maggie. We need to make sure this son of bitch pays for what he did to you. You know Tara is gonna want blood for this," Daryl begged as Maggie felt tears run down her cheeks.

Tara. Maggie wanted nothing more than for Tara to be here with her but she felt ruined. Maggie knew she was being unreasonable but she felt like Tara wouldn't want her anymore after what happened.

Maggie opened her mouth before closing it again. Carol glanced over at the distressed woman who pulled the blanket tighter around her.

"Come on, Maggie. Tell us so we can make sure he doesn't hurt you again," Carol squeezed her hand as they looked at each other. Maggie swallowed as she nodded her head.

"It...it was...it was Nicholas. He and Aiden threatened to hurt me at the party. They both cornered me in the kitchen that night with another guy that I didn't know. Nicholas said that it was Daryl and Tara's fault that Aiden was dead, so he had to get revenge," Maggie cried as she wiped the tears from her face.

"That motherfucker! First, he causes Noah's death, then this. I'm gonna kill that fucker!" Daryl threatened as he paced around the room.

"We'll get him, Maggie. I promise. Just rest now. Tara will be home soon," Rick said as he and Daryl walked out of the room. They headed into the dining room where Abraham joined them, wanting to know who was responsible for the attack.

"It was Nicholas," Rick informed Abraham as the redhead had to control himself from punching a wall.

"I'm gonna find that fucker and kill him," Daryl muttered through clenched teeth.

"Not yet. We need to play this smart, remember? We need to tell Deanna and get Nicholas in the holding cell," Rick tried to remind Daryl of the plan they had agreed to earlier.

"Man, fuck the goddamn holdin' cell!" Daryl shrugged Rick off of his arm.

"We need to wait! You know Tara will want to handle this on her own. What if it was Carol? Wouldn't you want to deal with it? Or let one of us?" Rick asked as Daryl tried to calm down, knowing that his friend was right.

"Alright, let's do this then. Tara'll wake up soon," Daryl finally relented as Abraham nodded in agreement.

"You stay here in case Nicholas comes back here. We're gonna talk to Deanna," Rick told Abraham who was still very pissed off.

"If that dickface comes back here, it'll be the last thing he does," Abraham gruffly replied as he headed back into the living room with the others.

* * *

Rick and Daryl ran to Deanna's house, telling her what had happened to Maggie. She was shocked that such a crime had taken place within her peaceful community. Rick decided against telling her about what Maggie had revealed about the party. He figured Deanna should grieve her oldest son before he dropped that bombshell on the Monroe family.

"How is she?" Deanna asked, genuinely concerned about Maggie's well-being, especially since the young woman was pregnant.

"She's restin' right now. She isn't doin' so well as you can imagine," Rick replied as Deanna looked out the window into the dark streets of Alexandria.

"I can imagine. But I agree with you, Rick. Put Nicholas in the holding cell for a couple of days until I can interrogate him and then decide if he will be exiled," Deanna ordered as Rick nodded.

"The fucker should be put to death," Daryl threw out his opinion as Rick glared at him.

"Daryl..." Rick warned as Deanna turned to look at the men in her office.

"It's alright, Rick. Daryl, I know you want blood but we have to deliver fair justice. And that means innocent until proven guilty. Let Nicholas sweat it out in the holding cell for a few days," Deanna said firmly as the two men looked at each other.

"How are you gonna prove that he's guilty or innocent? Only solid evidence would be DNA which we don't have a way to test," Rick questioned as the older woman walked to her desk.

"Let him sweat it out for a few days...he'll talk. And then I will be able to read him like a book. I will know if he's lying or telling the truth. I'll have to talk to Maggie also," Deanna said confidently. Rick knew in that moment that his group would be doing the right thing. There was no way he wanted even a possibility of Nicholas fooling Deanna's biased judgement and getting off scot free.

Daryl didn't say anything as he exited the office in a hasty manner before he said something he would later regret.

"Thank you, Deanna," Rick said his goodbyes as he left the house. Daryl and Michonne were waiting for him on the porch.

"Ready to get this piece of shit?" Michonne asked as her friends nodded.

Rick led the way to Nicholas' house, walking a brisk pace, ready to get his hands on the man who had hurt Maggie. He wanted nothing more than to destroy the rapist but knew it wasn't his place. This was Tara's job to handle and Rick knew she would make the prick suffer.

The trio finally arrived at Nicholas' house which was dark since it was in the area of town affected by the power outage. Rick pounded his fist against the door.

"Nicholas open up! Now!" Rick yelled as he knocked on the door again.

"Open the fuckin' door before I knock it down!" Daryl hollered, ready to make good on his threat.

After a few minutes, they finally heard the lock on the front door turn as it was opened. Nicholas came into view and knew he was in trouble from the looks on the newcomers' faces. Daryl roughly grabbed the younger man, throwing him against the wall of the house.

"You fuckin' piece of shit. First, you cause Noah's death. Then you hurt Maggie in one of the worst ways possible. You're lucky you don't have to deal with me, motherfucker," Daryl had hate in his eyes as Nicholas just smirked.

"Yeah...I'll get exiled or just held in the cell for a couple of months. Deanna won't let y'all hurt me," Nicholas had a cocky grin on his face.

Rick pulled Daryl off of Nicholas as Michonne handcuffed the offender. Daryl glared at the rapist, trying to control the outrage he was feeling.

"Hey!" Rick made Daryl face him, "tomorrow night...that fucker is ours."

Daryl nodded in acknowledgement before they walked Nicholas to the building that held the holding cells. On the way to their destination, they were given curious looks from the townspeople who were out on their front porches.

The small group arrived at the building without too much of a struggle from their prisoner. Rick roughly pushed Nicholas into the small cell before Michonne locked the door.

"We'll deal with you later, motherfucker," Rick spat as Nicholas just rolled his eyes.

"The bitch deserved it. She probably liked it too," Nick smirked as Daryl charged at the bars that separated the two. They glared at each other until Rick grabbed Daryl, pulling him away from the cell.

"Tomorrow night. Right now, we need to get back to Tara," Rick calmly whispered as Daryl huffed away, pissed beyond belief.

Daryl and Rick told Michonne of their plan that would be taking place tomorrow night. She agreed to tell the others, knowing that no one would object to killing the bastard who had hurt one of their own. Michonne headed back to the house while Rick and Daryl headed back to Tara's room at the infirmary.

* * *

The two friends were both surprised to see Tara up and about as they walked into her room. In fact, she was buttoning up her plaid shirt that Rosita had brought over earlier, ready to leave the infirmary.

"Are you sure you should be up already? You just woke up," Rick asked with some concern as Tara turned, realizing the room wasn't empty.

"Well, Nicole said there was an emergency at the house so I was gonna head over there. Besides, I'm fine. I've had worse things happen to me. Nicole just told me not to do too much too soon and to get checked out in a couple of days," Tara replied as Daryl gave her a hug, glad to see that his best friend was alright.

"That's what we're here to talk to you about before we head to the house," Rick sighed as he leaned against the wall, not sure exactly what he would tell Tara.

"What happened? Is it Maggie? Is she alright?" Tara felt panic go through her body as she looked at her friends.

"She's alright now," Daryl simply replied as he looked at the floor.

"Alright now?" Tara knew they were hiding something from her. "Just tell me what happened. Is she ok? Is the baby ok?"

"Sit down," Rick ordered softly as Tara promptly took a seat on the bed. She was confused as to what was going on.

"First thing is that Noah and Aiden didn't make it back from the supply run," Rick informed her regretfully as Tara took in the news.

"Noah didn't make it?" Tara turned to Daryl who shook his head.

"Nah...that piece of shit, Nicholas, is the reason Noah ain't here anymore," Daryl explained what had happened at the revolving doors and how Nicholas had selfishly left Daryl and Noah to die. He also told Tara about how they were forced to leave Aiden behind. Although now, Daryl didn't feel too bad about that loss after what Maggie had revealed.

"That fucker...where is he? I'm gonna beat the shit out of him! Noah was a good kid," Tara angrily said as she jumped off the bed, ready to make good of her threat.

"Hey...there's more. Sit," Rick gently pushed Tara back so she was sitting again.

She looked at Rick and Daryl, knowing from the looks on their faces that something devastating had taken place while she was out. "What else happened? Is Maggie alright?"

"She...she...she..." Daryl couldn't get himself to say the words as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He immediately looked away, using his arm to support his body against the wall.

"What?! She what?! Someone fuckin' tell me!" Tara stood up again, her voice filled with dread. She tried to leave the room but was stopped by Daryl.

"Let me go, man! I need to know what's wrong with her!" Tara struggled against Daryl, who couldn't let her leave without knowing what she was walking into.

"Maggie was attacked a few hours ago. I'm sorry but she was beat pretty severely and...and...raped," Rick sighed dejectedly as Tara stopped struggling.

Tara felt as if everything had been knocked from her body, feeling weak all of a sudden. She backed up against the bed, letting herself fall onto it. She couldn't believe what Rick had just revealed to her.

"What? Raped?" Tara asked as she covered her face with her hands. She couldn't imagine what horrors Maggie had been through. All she knew was that her Maggie had been hurt in one of the worst ways possible.

"Maggie was raped?" Tara was still in disbelief as she let the tears that were in her eyes fall, not bothering to hold them back.

Daryl gave her a devastating look as he simply nodded his head. "Yeah.."

Tara let a few sobs shake her body as she tried to compose herself. Daryl sat next to her, putting his arm around her. A few minutes later, Tara wiped her tears away, determination on her face.

"Who did it?" Tara asked bitterly, feeling anger overtake her body. Rick and Daryl looked at each other, knowing that Tara was out for blood now.

"Who's the son of a bitch that hurt my wife?" Tara demanded again as she felt her muscles contract with rage.

Rick licked his dry lips. "Nicholas. He apparently wanted revenge against you and Daryl for Aiden's death."

Tara knew what she had to do. She had to kill Nicholas no matter the consequences for herself. That bastard didn't deserve to live after the atrocity he had committed. She was surprised that he was still alive with Daryl and Rick around.

"I'm gonna kill that fucker," Tara stood up to leave but her exit was blocked by Rick.

"Get out of my way, Rick. I swear I don't want to hurt you but I will if you're tryin' to keep me from getting revenge," Tara had a dead serious stare in her intense eyes.

"I'm not tryin' to stop you. I want that fuck dead, too. But we need to do this smart so our family doesn't take a hit. We have a plan that everyone's up to date on now," Rick laid out the plan to Tara as Daryl listened on.

"And there's no way he can get out of the cell until tomorrow night?" Tara tried to calm down because right at that moment all she wanted to do was march to that holding cell and put a bullet in Nicholas' brain.

"No way he can get out. Michonne has the only set of keys. Sasha has night watch tomorrow night. We can get him out of the gates without anyone seeing or hearing anything," Rick reassured Tara but knew it wasn't helping her calm down any.

"Fuck, Rick! I just wanna go right now and blow his fuckin' brains out," Tara could feel her adrenaline going on full blast.

"He'll get his," Daryl muttered, wanting nothing more than to make the prick suffer.

"We will get him tomorrow night...I promise. But right now, Maggie needs you," Rick knew that Maggie needed Tara's love and support more than ever right now.

Tara suddenly thought about Maggie who must have felt so alone and scared. She wanted to eliminate Nicholas but knew she needed to get home and comfort Maggie. Besides, Nicholas would be locked up until it was time to deal with him.

Tara glanced at her friends before she took off running out of the infirmary and towards the house. The wound on her side hurt but she barely registered the pain. All Tara was focused on right now was getting back to Maggie. She barely heard the footsteps behind her as Rick and Daryl followed her back to the house, trying to keep up with her fast speed.

* * *

Tara burst into the house, everyone in the living room jumping up in alert. Abraham had his knife out until he saw that the intruder was Tara. He quickly holstered his weapon as he looked at Tara's worried face.

"Maggie?" Tara asked the distraught faces around her.

"In your room. I'm so sorry, Tara," Sasha gave Tara a quick hug.

Tara gave her a small smile of appreciation before she raced up the stairs, needing to see Maggie. Her urgency carried her quickly up the steps. She almost tripped over herself a couple of times in her haste but she barely noticed. Tara needed to see her girl.

Tara finally reached the door which was shut. She took a deep breath before she knocked quietly on the door. Tara really just wanted to barge into her bedroom but she didn't want to startle Maggie. Plus, Maggie might be asleep since it was almost midnight, and Tara didn't want to wake her up.

A few seconds went by before the door was opened by Carol. The older woman pulled Tara into a fierce hug before she stepped aside to let Tara in. The lamp on the nightstand was on, giving the room a low, soft glow. Tara saw Rosita seated on the small couch in the room, reading a book.

Tara's attention immediately went to the bed where Maggie was laying down, covered up. She was facing away from the door but Tara could tell just from her body language that Maggie was guarded and scared.

Tara went over to the other side of the bed, kneeling down so that she was close to her wife. Maggie's eyes were shut but she was crying, tears silently rolling down her cheeks. Tara felt her heart break when she noticed the bruises that had formed on Maggie's beautiful face.

Gently, Tara allowed her fingers to graze Maggie's cheek, wiping away the steady tears. Maggie's eyes immediately opened, fear flashed in them for an instant until she realized that Tara was the one touching her. Maggie's tears fell harder as she sat up slightly, clinging to Tara as if her life depended on it.

"I'm so sorry...I tried to fight back...I really did but I couldn't..." Maggie let the sobs take over her body as Tara sat on the bed, pulling her close.

"Hey, it's not your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for. Shh..." Tara tried to soothe Maggie who was crying uncontrollably.

Tara looked over at Carol and Rosita who were both trying not to cry over the scene in front of them. Tara placed a soft kiss on Maggie's head, feeling Maggie's body shake from all the crying.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you. I'm so sorry, baby. I love you so much," Tara whispered to Maggie who continued to sob into her shirt.

"I...love...you too," Maggie said between sobs.

Tara noticed that Maggie's shirt was riding up her body a bit, noticing that there bruises on her skin. She looked down at Maggie's arms, seeing that there were dark marks on her wrists. Tara silently cursed to herself, feeling her anger against Nicholas take over her body again.

Tara knew she needed to get out of that room for a few minutes to calm down. She could feel tears from rage and sadness threatening to come out but she needed to be strong for Maggie and the baby. They both needed Tara now more than ever, but she needed to get this weakness out.

"Hey babe...I'm gonna be right back, alright? I'm gonna go get something to drink real quick. Carol and Rosita will stay here until I get back and then we can go to bed," Tara said as she felt Maggie's hands grip her shirt for dear life.

"No...please don't leave.." Maggie begged in a weak voice.

"I'll be right back, I promise," Tara placed her hand gently on Maggie's cheek causing the other woman to flinch under her touch. Tara could feel her hate for Nicholas growing.

Tara felt her heart break from the look on Maggie's face as she gently extracted herself from her wife's firm grip. Maggie buried her head in the pillow, allowing herself to cry softly. She glanced Carol and Rosita, who both knew what Tara needed to do.

"We'll stay with her until you get back," Carol gently whispered as Tara walked to the door. Tara took one last look at Maggie before heading out of the room.

She quickly ran down the stairs and out the back door, slamming it shut behind her. Abraham, Daryl, and Rick immediately followed her outside, thinking that Tara was on her way to execute Nicholas and ruin their flawless plan. Instead, they found her leaning against the porch rail, crying softly to herself.

Daryl wrapped his arm around Tara's shoulders as Abraham and Rick stood next to her in a show of support. Tara wiped her tears from her eyes.

"Sorry guys. I just needed to get out for a minute. Seeing Maggie look so devastated and broken down...just kills me. I just keep thinking about what she went through and it just hurts. I love her so much...seeing her in so much pain...kills me," Tara tried to explain how she felt to her friends as they gave her sad looks.

"Hey...cry as much as you need to. This affects you also. Hell, I can't even imagine what your goin' through. It pains me to see Maggie like that...I can only imagine how you feel," Abraham pulled Tara in for a hug.

"I saw some of the bruises on her body and I can tell she's in obvious pain. God, I just want to kill that fucker and get it over with," Tara slammed her fist down on the porch railing, silent tears still falling down her face.

"Tomorrow night...that prick is ours. All four of us are gonna make sure he gets what he deserves," Rick looked around at his small group knowing they all wanted Nicholas to suffer. A quick bullet to the head was too merciful for that scum.

Daryl pulled Tara close again. "I'm sorry this happened to Maggie. It's affectin' the whole family but we're here for y'all. I just want you to know that you ain't alone. If you ever need anythin' just let me know."

"Thanks, brother," Tara hugged Daryl, holding on for a few extra seconds. He kept his arms around her shoulders as all four of them stood in silence.

"How are we gonna do this? I want that prick to suffer for what he did to Maggie and Noah," Abraham asked as he pulled a small bottle of scotch out of his pocket. He took a drink before passing the bottle around to his friends. Tara made sure to take a very generous drink of the dark liquor.

"We're gonna torture that son of a bitch is what we're gonna do," Daryl said as the small group thought up of ways to make Nicholas pay for his violent crime and for causing Noah's death.

Tara wiped away the last remaining tears from her face, composing herself, hiding any weakness she was feeling.

"Thanks guys...I needed that," Tara took one last drink of scotch.

"Anytime my sister from another mister," Abraham softly chuckled as Tara let herself smile for the first time that night.

They all walked back into the house where everyone was falling asleep in the living room. The air was still filled with sadness and despair after what had happened to Maggie and Noah's untimely death. Rick decided that everyone could sleep in the same house and no one objected since they all wanted to be close to one another.

Tara realized just how much she loved her family. She loved everyone in the group in different ways, and Noah's death left a hole in her heart just like all the other past deaths the family had experienced together.

She took a look at the sleeping bodies scattered across the room before heading back up the stairs. Tara knocked softly on the door before entering the semi-dark room. Maggie was still in the position that Tara had reluctantly left her in.

"How's she doing?" Tara asked Carol and Rosita who were both seated on the small couch.

"She's just been laying there. She hasn't really talked much which is understandable," Carol answered, glancing over at Maggie briefly.

Rosita gave Tara a hug. "Hopefully, with you here Maggie will feel safer. I know it will take a while to get past this. You need to be strong for her."

"How's the baby?" Tara questioned.

"Dr. Fields gave her a quick physical exam earlier. She said the baby should be alright but y'all should go in for a check up in a couple of days," Carol informed Tara who just nodded her head. All of this was still a nightmare for Tara...her precious wife had been violated in the most intimate way possible.

"What do I do? How do I help her?" Tara asked her friends as Maggie stayed facing away from everyone.

"Be there for her. Be patient. Don't push her to do too much too soon. Just listen when she needs to talk. She might not trust you fully...so don't get upset with her. Basically, just be there and love her," Carol gave Tara some advice on how to be supportive in this trying time.

Rosita opened the door as Carol stepped out and headed down the hall. Rosita turned to look at Tara before she left the room. "If you need anything...just us know. We're all in this together, y'all aren't alone."

"Thank you..." Tara pulled Rosita into a much needed hug. Rosita gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out, closing the door softly behind her.

Tara glanced over at Maggie who was still turned away but awake. Tara could hear the soft sniffles that escaped Maggie's lips as she tried to cry silently to herself. Tara could feel her heart break as she tried to keep her own tears at bay. She took a few seconds to get herself together. She needed to be the strong one in this.

Slowly, being careful not to startle Maggie, Tara climbed into bed. She wondered if she should try to bring Maggie's body closer to her own, but wasn't sure if her touch would be welcomed. Tara decided that Maggie would do what felt comfortable to her. They both laid in the bed in silence for a few minutes as Tara thought about what to say.

"I'm sorry this happened to you but it's not your fault. I don't want you to blame yourself. Just know that I'm here for you, Maggie. If you ever want to talk, I'm here. If you just need me to hold you, I'm here. If I ever do something that makes you uncomfortable...just tell me. I love you so much, Maggie. You mean everything to me," Tara felt a stray tear fall down her cheek as she quickly wiped it away.

Maggie was silent for a few seconds before she turned to face Tara, her eyes red from all the tears that had been shed. Maggie refused to make eye contact with Tara, feeling worthless and weak. Finally, she gathered up her strength and stared at Tara's face for a couple of minutes before cautiously cuddling into the familiar body next to her. Tara carefully wrapped her arms around Maggie, being wary of Maggie's reaction.

When Tara felt Maggie rest her head against her shoulder, she relaxed for a bit. Tara placed a gentle kiss on Maggie's hair, smelling the sweet scent of vanilla.

"I love you, too. I'm not ready to talk about it...I just wanna go to sleep," Maggie whispered quietly into Tara's T-shirt.

"Whenever you're ready, baby. I'm always gonna be here for you. Try to get some rest...I'm here now. I won't let anyone hurt you," Tara promised as Maggie closed her eyes, succumbing to a restless sleep.

Tara stayed up for a couple of hours after she felt Maggie fall asleep. She felt very protective over the woman in her arms. Tara felt like she had failed at protecting Maggie, guilt eating at her for not being around when she was needed the most. Tara sighed sadly as she thought about what Maggie had been through and the bruises that littered her perfect body.

Maggie snuggled deeper into her body, flinching slightly when Tara held her tighter. Tara knew that the road to recovery would be long but she would be there for Maggie every step of the way. She could only hope that Maggie wouldn't push her away like she had done in the past.

* * *

Tara had finally fallen asleep when suddenly she felt thrashing on the other side of the bed. Tara immediately opened her eyes to see Maggie in the grip of a bad nightmare. Maggie had tears running down her face as she tossed around on the bed, terrified.

"No...no...please stop...no!" Maggie cried in a panic in her sleep.

Tara placed her hand on Maggie's arm, stroking it gently, trying to wake her up without startling her too much.

"Hey...Maggie...wake up sweetie," Tara soothed as she lightly shook Maggie to wake her up.

Maggie sat up straight in the bed, looking around her surroundings, her breathing heavy with fear. She let her tears flow as she trembled under Tara's touch, feeling like she was back on the living room floor, being violated all over again.

"Hey baby...you're safe with me. It's me, Tara. You're safe here. It's okay," Tara whispered as Maggie looked at her. She pulled out of Tara's touch, wrapping her arms around her body, trembling with terror.

Tara looked at Maggie, feeling anger and despair take over. Anger at Nicholas for causing all of this trouble. Despair over how Maggie's sense of security had been shattered in just a few minutes. Tara cursed silently to herself, wanting to just take away all of Maggie's pain.

Maggie rocked her weak body back and forth, feeling ashamed for what had happened to her earlier. Tara let her fingers graze Maggie's arm, barely touching her. Maggie looked at her, fear in her beautiful green eyes as they met Tara's brown ones.

"Hey baby...you're safe here. It's alright. You're safe with me," Tara said softly as Maggie desperately clung to her body. Tara felt Maggie grip her shirt, sobbing into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry about wakin' you," Maggie cried as her terrified body started to slowly relax in Tara's strong arms. She could smell Tara's familiar scent mixed in with some type of cologne, bringing her a sense of comfort.

"Shhh...it's ok, babe. Remember what I told you? I'm here for you no matter what. I don't care if you wake me twenty times at night. Whatever you need...I'm here," Tara gently reminded Maggie that she would be by her side no matter what.

Tara softly rocked Maggie back and forth for a few minutes to relax her. When Tara felt that Maggie was comfortable being in her arms, she slowly lowered their bodies onto the bed so they were laying down again, covering up with the blanket.

"I love you," Maggie whispered as she fell asleep once again, listening to Tara's heartbeat which brought her a sense of security.

"I love you, too," Tara whispered softly as she felt Maggie put her whole body on top of hers. Tara held Maggie tight and closed her eyes, trying to get some rest.

Maggie woke up three more times that night with Tara there to comfort her every time. Maggie was always apologetic for waking her up but Tara always reminded her of the promise to always be by her side. Finally, Maggie fell into a deep sleep where nightmares couldn't reach her and Tara got a couple of hours of much needed rest.

The next morning, Tara woke up to find the side next to her vacant and sunlight trying to radiate through the closed blinds. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom, deciding to wait a few minutes before checking on Maggie.

After about twenty minutes went by with no sign of Maggie emerging from the shower, Tara quickly threw off the covers and swung open the bathroom door. The heat from the steam hit Tara in the face as she raced over to the shower which was rushing with water.

Tara slid open the shower door, finding Maggie in the corner. She had her knees close to her body, arms wrapped around her legs. Tears mixed with turning cold water as they ran down Maggie's face.

Maggie backed away from Tara's sudden intrusion, not daring to look into Tara's eyes, afraid of what she might find. Maggie wasn't sure how Tara was going to deal with how emotional and broken she was now. She knew it would be awhile until things got back to normal, if they ever did. Maggie's ultimate fear was that Tara wouldn't be able to handle the situation anymore and leave.

"Maggie...sweetie, come here," Tara didn't care that she was still fully clothed as she stepped into the shower and knelt down next to Maggie. The hot water had now turned completely cold making her skin tremble just a bit.

"Let's get you out of here, and back into bed, ok?" Tara said as Maggie looked into her eyes. All Maggie could see in those brown eyes was unconditional love for her. She nodded her head as Tara turned off the water and helped her out of the shower.

Grabbing a towel, Tara gently helped Maggie dry off. Maggie tried to hide all the bruises that were on her body, but Tara could see most of them. As Tara discovered bruise after bruise, she felt her anger towards Nicholas grow again. Tara couldn't wait until night fell so she could handle him once and for all for causing Maggie so much hurt and distress.

"Wait here. I'll get you some clothes," Tara was about to walk out of the room when Maggie stopped her.

"Can I wear one of your shirts? It'll just help me feel a little safer," Maggie asked quietly.

"Of course, babe. Anything you need," Tara walked into their bedroom, grabbing one of her plaid shirts and some sleeping pants. She had a feeling Maggie was not going to want to leave the room at all that day.

Tara helped Maggie get dressed being careful not to touch her too much or make her uncomfortable in any way. Afterwards, Tara gently picked up Maggie and carried her to their bed, laying her down onto the soft mattress. Just as she covered Maggie up there was a soft knock on the door.

Tara opened the door to reveal Daryl, Carol, and Rosita standing in the hallway. They all looked like they hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.

"Hey, Deanna wants to talk to us about what happened in the warehouse. And probably to warn you not to kill Nicholas," Daryl informed her as Tara sighed. She didn't want to leave Maggie but knew she needed to help clear Daryl's name.

"Plus, we need to get things ready for tonight," Daryl added as everyone in the small group knew exactly what he was implying.

"Alright...let's go," Tara grabbed her knife holster, fastening it to her belt.

"Aren't you gonna change clothes?" Carol asked.

"Why?" Tara wondered as her three friends looked at her.

"Because your clothes are soaking wet. What happened?" Rosita asked with some concern, glancing at Maggie who had turned away from everyone.

"I found her in the shower having a break down this morning so I had to help her. Gimme a couple of minutes to change and I'll be out," Tara shut the door, quickly changing into some dry clothes.

She knelt down by Maggie's side of the bed. "Hey babe, I have to leave for a couple of hours or so but I promise to be back. Carol and Rosita are gonna stay with you, alright? If you really need me just let them know and they'll come get me...ok?"

Maggie simply nodded as she nuzzled into her pillow. Tara placed a kiss on her cheek. "I love you. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I love you, too," Maggie whispered as Tara gave her a soft smile. Reluctantly, Tara forced herself away from Maggie's side, opening the door to let the others in.

Carol knew that Tara was anxious about leaving Maggie. "We'll make sure nothing happens to her, promise."

Tara gave Carol and Rosita a quick hug before Daryl threw his arm around her shoulders, leading her down the stairs.

* * *

Daryl stared at the blinking red light on the video camera that was recording as he told Deanna his side of the story about what had happened at the warehouse. Tara was seated next to him, listening to all the details.

"And that's what happened. Nicholas wanted to leave everybody behind to save his own ass," Daryl felt sadness as he recounted Noah's gruesome death.

"That's a very different version from what Nicholas told me," Deanna said as Daryl had to control his anger at the mention of that name.

"What did that little punk say?" Daryl questioned.

"Nicholas stated that you wanted to leave everybody behind and that he had to force you to stay. That you wanted to leave Aiden and Tara to distract the walkers while you made a getaway," Deanna recalled the other man's words.

Daryl stood up in anger. "That piece of shit! Do you really think I would leave my best friend behind? We're blood, me and Tara. I would never leave her. And I didn't leave your boy...I tried to help Aiden. Nick was the one who was a coward."

Deanna could see that Daryl was passionate about defending and protecting his family. She had no reason to doubt that he was telling the truth.

"What do you remember, Tara?" Deanna asked the younger woman who looked like she didn't get much sleep the night before.

"I remember finding the parts we needed. Then all of sudden, Daryl was yelling at Aiden to stop shooting at a walker. But Nicholas told him to keep at it. Then there was a blast and the guys found me. Nick wanted to leave in a hurry, and he was reluctant to go help Aiden," Tara was tempted to tell Deanna about what a monster her oldest son had been and what he had done to Maggie at the party, but kept quiet.

Deanna switched the video camera off. "That's all I needed to know. Tara, I'm sorry about what happened to Maggie but don't do anything drastic. Justice is not yours to take and that's not how we do things here in Alexandria. I will handle Nicholas as I see fit. I don't want you to do anything that would have harsh consequences."

"Yes, ma'am," Tara simply said as she stood up to leave.

"Noah and Aiden's funeral will be tomorrow. I'm sorry about your loss," Deanna said as she led them out of her office and to the front door.

"We're sorry for your loss also," Tara replied as Deanna gave her a small smile as she opened the front door.

"Thank you...now have a good day," Deanna shut the door behind them as they stood on the porch for a few seconds.

"Meet me at the gate in a few minutes. I gotta take a piss and get something to eat. Then we can prepare for tonight," Daryl hopped down the stairs, heading towards the house.

Tara slowly walked down the steps, deciding to go the long way to the gate to kill time. She knew if she went back home then she wouldn't want to leave Maggie, and she still had things to take care of before tonight.

Walking down the streets, Tara looked at the perfect houses that housed perfect families who didn't have a care in the world. They had no idea that there were real horrors within their walls. In her experience, Tara knew that people were more dangerous than walkers.

Suddenly, she was taken out of her thoughts when she heard her name being called. Tara turned to one of the houses and saw Nicole standing on the porch. Tara waved and was going to continue on her way until Nicole's voice stopped her.

"Can I talk to you real quick?" Nicole asked as Tara nodded. She joined Nicole on the porch, who just looked at her for a few seconds before speaking.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Maggie," Nicole said as Tara just nodded, not sure what to say.

"I just want you to know that there are other victims. Maggie wasn't the only one who those two terrorized," Nicole revealed as Tara looked at her.

"They didn't hurt you too, did they?" Tara asked, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"A few days after I got to Alexandria, they both showed up at the house. No one was home and they did what they wanted. They took turns raping me, and Aiden threatened me that if I told anyone then he would hurt my little sister. So I kept quiet because who would believe me? My word against Deanna's son. And we couldn't stay outside of the walls," Nicole cried as she remembered that horrible night.

Tara could feel her rage returning as she thought about all the women who had been victimized by Aiden and Nicholas. She immediately punched the wall behind her, leaning against the building, her forehead resting against the brick wall. Tara tried to keep her composure as she kept her tears at bay.

"I wasn't there to protect Maggie. I wasn't there when she needed me the most...it kills me to know that I wasn't there," Tara revealed as she kept herself from crying, not wanting to seem weak in front of Nicole.

Nicole wrapped her arms around Tara from behind, holding her tight, allowing her own tears to fall. They stayed in that position for a few minutes until Tara broke the silence.

"I'm sorry that happened to you, especially after the whole Ryen thing but you'll be safe soon. Aiden is gone and Nicholas will be dead in a few hours. It will be safe here again. Was there another guy present when it happened to you?" Tara asked as she remembered Daryl mentioning that Maggie had said that there had been three men at the party who cornered her.

"No. Just Aiden and Nicholas. I know what your people plan to do to Nick later. Do what you have to do," Nicole whispered into Tara's shirt, as her arms wrapped tighter around Tara's waist.

"I will...I promise," Tara replied as she placed her hand on top of Nicole's. They stayed that way for a few more minutes until Nicole's tears dried up.

"I've got to get going. Be careful, alright? I'll see you later," Tara turned so that she was facing Nicole.

"Be careful yourself. When you get a chance come over so I can take look at that wound on your side," Nicole leaned up, giving Tara a lingering kiss on the cheek. Tara smiled at her before she went down the stairs and continued on her way to the gate to meet Daryl.

As she neared the gate, Aaron ran up to her, worry in his eyes. "Deanna told me what happened to Maggie. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Tara said, tired of people apologizing to her.

"I led you to this place. I feel somewhat responsible," Aaron seemed on the verge of tears as Tara's demeanor softened.

"Hey man, it's not your fault. You were just trying to help us. So don't blame yourself...alright?" Tara placed her hand on Aaron's shoulder as he nodded. She gave him a couple of pats on the back before she continued on her way to the gate.

Daryl was waiting for her, hands in his pockets as Michonne stood by the gate also. They both were talking about something as Tara walked up to them.

"What took you so long?" Daryl asked impatiently.

"Sorry...I had to stop and talk to someone," Tara said as Michonne gave her a quick hug.

"You two be careful. Daryl, aren't you not allowed outside of the gates?" Michonne asked in a joking manner.

"Nah..but let's see anyone try and stop me," Daryl replied as he and Tara walked out of the gate, Michonne slamming it shut behind them. They waved to their friend before they headed to where they needed to be.

After a few minutes of walking, the duo arrived at the abandoned cabin that Rick had found the other day. They made sure no walkers were around before they opened the door to the cabin. It was empty except for a metal chair in the middle of the room along with a dirty, long fold up table. On the table were a pair of pliers, a screw driver, hammers, crowbars, and a baseball bat.

"Rick and Abraham came out here earlier, and brought all this stuff. Apparently, they want Nicholas to suffer good," Daryl laughed as he found what he was looking for in a pile of junk in the corner.

"Here...let's get to work," Daryl handed Tara a shovel as she followed him out to where they would be digging Nicholas' grave.

They arrived at the spot as Tara began digging, remaining silent as she thought about the horrors the bastard had put Nicole and Maggie through.

"We should just let walkers tear his body apart," Tara huffed as she continued to work on the grave.

"Can't let the chance of any kind of evidence turning up. Walkers might not eat all of him. No evidence against us means Deanna can't kick us out and Nicholas still gets what he deserves," Daryl explained as he started to dig at the semi-soft dirt.

The rest of their job was silent as they finished digging up the ominous grave. Afterwards, they looked at their finished work, satisfied that it was good enough. Daryl tossed Tara a bottle of water, which she opened up and drank half the bottle in one gulp.

"How are you copin' with all of this?" Daryl asked Tara, concerned about her well-being.

"I'll be better when this prick is buried six feet under. I just want Maggie to feel normal again...no matter how long it takes," Tara replied as Daryl simply nodded.

"You ever need anything...you know I'm here," Daryl hugged Tara for a few seconds before he started walking back to Alexandria. Tara glanced at the grave for a few seconds before jogging to catch up with Daryl.

* * *

Tara was laying in bed with Maggie when the clock on the wall struck midnight. Maggie was snuggled into her, asleep. Maggie had a couple of flashbacks during the day, but Tara was there to soothe her fears and bring her back to reality.

There was a light knock on the door as Tara told the visitor to come in. Daryl walked into the room. "It's time."

"Alright...I'll be there in a minute," Tara whispered being careful not to wake up Maggie who was still sleeping soundly.

She gently extracted herself from Maggie's sleeping form. Tara pulled on her hoodie, zipping it up since it was cool outside. She knelt down by Maggie, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. Maggie remained sleeping, sighing softly.

"Soon it will all be over with. I'll always protect you...I love you and Peanut so much," Tara whispered to Maggie as she softly ran her fingers through Maggie's soft hair.

Tara glanced at Maggie for a few seconds before leaving the room and going down the stairs, into the living room. She saw that Daryl, Abraham, and Rick were ready to give Nicholas the justice he deserved.

"Sasha is on post now. Deanna's house and the streets are quiet. Let's do this," Rick ordered as Michonne handed him the keys to the cell.

"Let's rock n' roll. Can you guys keep an eye on Maggie? She's fast asleep," Tara asked the occupants in the living room.

"We were already heading up there," Carol said as she, Rosita, and Michonne started to head up the stairs.

"Let's get this fucker," Abraham said in a gruff voice as the small group headed out the door to their destination.

It only took them a few minutes to get to the building that held the cell. Tara tried to calm herself down but it was difficult knowing that she would be face to face with the monster who had hurt Maggie.

The foursome entered the building with Rick leading the way to the cell area. They finally arrived to their destination, finding Nicholas asleep on the uncomfortable bed in the cell.

Rick put the key in the lock, turning it, opening the door. Nicholas was startled awake, confused about what was going on.

"Rise and shine, sunshine," Daryl muttered as Nicholas took a look at the faces surrounding him. He immediately knew that he was in trouble when Tara came into view.

"Oh shit..." Nicholas started to panic, knowing this wouldn't end well for him.

"Oh shit is right," Abraham said pulling duct tape out of his pocket. Before Nicholas could say anything, Abraham taped his mouth shut while Daryl tied his hands behind his back.

Tara glared at Nicholas, hate seeping from her eyes. He looked at her, fear lacing his face as he took in her serious gaze. Nicholas could tell from Tara's glance that he was in trouble and no one would be saving him tonight.

"We're gonna take a little walk," Rick grabbed Nicholas from the cell, pulling him out by his arm. Nicholas tried to drag his feet but it was no use when Abraham grabbed his other arm. Both men dragged their prisoner out of the building and into the dark, quiet streets.

Nicholas was pulled to the gate by Rick and Abraham, where Sasha was waiting for the small group. Sasha scowled at the tied up offender, not hiding the hatred she felt for the man who hurt Maggie.

"Is that the piece of shit who raped Maggie?" Sasha asked as Tara nodded.

"That's him," Tara glared at Nicholas.

"I hope you put the hurt on him real good," Sasha opened the gate as the small group walked through the entrance.

"The fucker will be beggin' he was never born by the time we're done with him," Daryl promised as Sasha shut the gate as quietly as she could.

They towed Nicholas throughout the woods to the small abandoned cabin, dragging him through the wooden door. Rick roughly pushed him into the chair that was in the middle of the room. Abraham wasted no time tying up Nicholas' arms to the arms of the chair, making sure he couldn't escape. Nicholas fearfully looked around the room, heart beating fast with adrenaline.

Tara stood in front of their prisoner as everyone else stood in the background, waiting for the next move. Tara ripped the duct tape off of Nicholas' mouth.

"So you like to rape women? How many did you hurt? I know y'all raped Nicole. You really thought you could hurt Maggie and get away with it?" Tara yelled at Nicholas who was crying in fear.

"Please...don't hurt me...please..." Nicholas begged, knowing his life was at stake.

"How many?" Tara stared angrily at the tied up man, pulling out her gun, pointing it at his head. "I'm not gonna ask again."

"I don't know...fifteen? Twenty? Please...please...don't kill me...please," Nicholas sobbed.

"You don't get to beg, motherfucker. Did Maggie beg you to stop? Huh? Did she?!" Tara demanded as Nicholas remained silent.

"Tell me!" Tara demanded again as Daryl stepped forward.

"Hey, man...maybe you don't wanna or need to know the details about what happened," Daryl tried to reason with Tara.

"I need to know, Daryl. I can't ask Maggie cuz she's not ready to talk about it. Who knows if she ever will be. I just need to know," Tara explained as her friends kept silent, allowing her to continue her interrogation.

"Did she? You better talk, motherfucker!" Tara yelled at Nicholas who nodded his head.

"She begged for me to stop. She begged..said she was pregnant. That I could do what I wanted...just not to hurt the baby. She cried during it...pleaded for me to stop. Cried for you..." Nicholas revealed as Tara gave him a shocked look.

"She cried for me?" Tara asked, feeling some tears threatening to come out.

"Yeah..." Nicholas simply said. He wasn't expecting the punch that connected to his nose causing a loud crack to result. The chair he was strapped to toppled over.

"Fuck..." Nicholas cried out in pain. Before he could react, Tara was standing over him. He tried to plead for help as Tara landed punch after punch to his face. Daryl, Rick, and Abraham looked on in approval as Tara continued to hit Nicholas, blood rushing down his face from his nose and mouth.

Finally, Daryl stepped forward, stopping Tara from punching their prisoner again. "Hey...keep that up and you'll kill him too fast."

Tara stepped away, anger and adrenaline rushing throughout her body. She paced around the room, trying to calm down. Abraham picked up the chair, sitting Nicholas upright again. Tara took a few deep breaths as Rick glanced at her.

"You good?" Rick asked becoming a little concerned about his friend.

"Yeah, I'm good," Tara said she walked back to Nicholas.

Abraham taped his mouth shut again. "This might hurt a little bit."

Daryl grabbed a long bladed knife and handed it to Tara. Nicholas panicked, his trembling body moving the chair back and forth slightly.

"Do what you gotta do," Daryl encouraged as Tara got a look of determination on her face.

Tara grabbed the knife as Nicholas' screams for help were muffled. Tara wasted no time as she cut off a couple of Nicholas' fingers as he cried in pain, his face red and sweat pouring down his cheeks.

"Hurts...doesn't it, fuckface?" Abraham asked as tears ran down Nicholas' face, blood rushing out of his hand.

"I think I can make it better," Daryl grabbed a machete and without warning chopped off Nicholas' hand, blood spluttering all over the place.

Nicholas shrieked in pain behind the tape around his mouth. His breathing labored as agony took over his body and he knew the night wasn't being close to done. Abraham grabbed Nicholas by the shirt collar, nearly lifting the chair off of the floor. He didn't hold back as he handed a few hard punches into Nicholas' face.

"Like to stick your fuckin' dick where it don't belong, huh? You picked the wrong family to mess with this time," Abraham spat into the prisoner's face as he tried to talk behind the tape.

Daryl untied Nicholas from the chair as his weak body fell to the floor. Rick felt outrage fill his emotions as he picked up a baseball bat, bringing the object down onto Nicholas' body. He felt emotions from what Maggie had been through fill his mind as he brought the bat down a few times.

Rick handed the bat to Tara who didn't waste time on striking Nicholas again. She was sure that his ribs were broken but she didn't care. The only thing that filled Tara's mind were images of all the bruises that were on Maggie's body and how Maggie had flinched away from her.

Blood seeped into the wooden floor beneath Nicholas as he took another beating from Daryl. Abraham kicked his severed hand across the room as tears fell down the offender's face, a clear tear trail on his otherwise bloody face.

The group looked at the bloody pulp on the floor. Rick ripped the tape off of Nicholas' face again as he choked out a sob.

"Please...don't kill me..." Nicholas begged as sobs came out of his blood filled mouth.

"Shut the fuck up," Tara muttered as she kicked Nicholas hard in the mouth, breaking a few of his teeth causing him to howl in intense pain.

They all looked at the pathetic blob on the floor. Nicholas was bleeding heavily from the stump on his arm. His mouth was full of broken teeth, and blood that he was nearly choking on. He had a broken nose and jaw, along with two black eyes. He also had many broken bones all over his body, including numerous ribs.

"We ain't done with you...only a sick fuck like you would rape a pregnant woman. You're gonna pay," Daryl walked over to the table and grabbed a pair of pliers. He knelt down beside Nicholas, grabbing his face, forcing his mouth open. Daryl placed the pliers in Nicholas' mouth, forcibly removing a tooth. He removed two more as their victim spit out blood, crying for mercy.

"Why should you get mercy, you bastard?" Abraham took the pliers from Daryl before he grabbed Nicholas' remaining hand. He forced the hand open, placing the pliers on the prisoner's nail. Then without any warning, Abraham ripped off the nail. Wails filled the room as Abraham finished off the remaining nails, letting them fall to the floor.

"We're just about done, aren't we Tara?" Rick asked as Tara knew what she had to do next. She reached into the waistband of her jeans, pulling out her gun that had a silencer on it. Nicholas' eyes went wide as he tried to plead for his life, telling them how sorry he was about Maggie and all the other women.

Tara pointed the gun at his crotch, which made Nicholas panic even more. Tara pulled the trigger as the bullet entered Nicholas' crotch causing him to almost howl in pain. He went into a fetal position as he bled more, shock taking over his frail body.

Tara fired another shot into his stomach, his warm blood splattering all over her and the wall behind them.

"Let's bury this prick and get back home," Tara secured the gun into the waistband of her jeans before reaching down to force Nicholas up. Daryl grabbed his other arm as the small group forced Nick to walk to his own grave.

"So you got two options...we can either bury you alive or decapitate you. Pick," Tara glared at Nicholas who just weakly shook his head.

"I can't..." Nick coughed up blood.

"Suit yourself," Tara took out her knife, forcing Nicholas onto his knees. Tears ran down his face, pleading for mercy. Tara ignored his pleas as she slit his throat before pushing him into the grave. Nicholas was still alive as he slowly bled out, fresh dirt covering his body as Tara and Daryl quickly filled up the grave.

"We aren't to ever talk about this night again. I think we would scare some of our own family members if they found out how brutal we let ourselves get," Rick said as everyone agreed.

Tara knew they had probably took it too far and let the man suffer too much but she didn't care. The man who had violated and hurt her wife was now gone.

"We still need to find out who that third prick was at the party. Who knows if he will try to hurt someone," Abraham stated as the group agreed.

"We'll find that bastard and kill him if we have too. Make Alexandria safer with those fucks off the streets," Rick promised. He still had Jessie and her abusive husband to worry about also. Rick was beginning to think that maybe the community hadn't been such a sanctuary after all.

Tara and Daryl finally finished filling up the grave, not sure if Nicholas had still been alive as he was being buried. Satisfied, that no one would suspect anything suspicious or figure out that a grave had been dug, the foursome headed back to Alexandria.

Tara was surprised that it was almost early dawn as they arrived back at the gate. Sasha opened the barrier and let the small group in before shutting it again. She said nothing as she took in their sweaty and bloody appearances, only giving her silent support.

The group headed back towards the house as quickly as they could before they could be spotted by any townspeople. Tara was anxious to see Maggie and hold her close in her arms again, knowing that a little piece of evil had been taken out of this world.

* * *

Meanwhile, Maggie woke up a couple of hours after Tara had left to deal with Nicholas. She immediately felt the loss of the warm body that had been a comfort for her. Maggie knew what Tara was up to, she had heard the planning.

Maggie was indifferent to how she felt about what was happening to Nicholas. She knew that Tara would make sure that he suffered for what he did...how brutal it went was another question. Maggie pulled the covers closer to her body, moving to Tara's side on the bed. She took a sniff from Tara's pillow, smelling the familiar scent that she associated with comfort.

"Are you doing okay?" Carol asked the young woman in the bed.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Maggie said quietly. She was grateful that Carol, Rosita, and Michonne were there with her.

She didn't want to be left alone. Maggie knew that it would take a while until things got back to normal. After the whole Governor incident, it had taken a few weeks for her to regain her sense of self worth. This time was different though.

Nicholas had been unbelievably brutal, calling her names and making sure that she suffered during the incident. She knew that Nicholas had been seeking revenge against Tara and Daryl, taking it out on her since he couldn't confront the other two.

Maggie had to beg for her unborn child's life after Nicholas made a motion to strike her in the stomach. After she promised not to fight him anymore, Nicholas hit her everywhere else but her stomach, which she was grateful for. Maggie wasn't sure how long it has lasted, it seemed to last for hours but in reality it was over in minutes.

Afterwards, Nicholas had left her on the floor, sobbing and in pain all over. She was scared to get up since he had threatened to come back. Maggie hadn't wanted her friends to find her in such a humiliating position but she had been in too much pain to get up. When the door had opened, she was terrified until she realized it had been Carol and Rosita.

In just a few short minutes, Maggie's sense of well-being and safety had been shattered. Her trust in others, in Tara, had been rocked to the core. She knew that Tara was hurt when she flinched away but she couldn't help her reactions. Every unknown touch brought memories of Nicholas on top of her, taking what wasn't his.

Maggie knew that Tara was trying her best to be supportive but she was afraid that it would be too much for Tara to deal with. Maggie was tempted to push Tara away but she knew she needed her. Tara was the only one who could make her feel safe again.

She started to feel tears run down her face, feeling so weak and needy. Maggie wasn't sure if she would ever be the strong willed woman she had once been. Maggie was surprised that she still had tears left to cry after all the sobbing she had done the past couple of days.

A couple of more hours passed, the other occupants in the room making small talk and making sure that Maggie was alright. Suddenly, the door slowly opened as Tara walked in. Everyone turned to look at her, seeing that her clothes were stained with dirt, sweat, and blood.

"Is he...?" Carol started to ask as Tara nodded.

"It's done," Tara finalized as she went into the closet to grab some sleep clothes.

She said her goodnights to her friends as they left the room to go talk to Daryl, Rick, and Abraham about what had happened. Tara just wanted to shower and get into bed with Maggie.

Tara knelt down by Maggie. "It's over, babe. The man who hurt you has been dealt with."

Maggie stared into Tara's loving eyes for a few seconds before Tara stood up to take a shower. Tara quickly took a quick shower, watching all the dirt and blood wash down the drain.

She threw on a pair of boxers and a black tank top before stepping into the bedroom. Maggie was still in the position she had left her in but moved over so Tara could have her side of the bed back.

Tara climbed into the bed as Maggie snuggled close to her, wanting to feel safe again. Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie's frail body, placing a soft kiss on her hair. Maggie sat up slightly to look at Tara's face, wanting to see the unconditional love in her eyes.

Tara stared at Maggie for a few seconds, swallowing nervously. She wanted nothing more than to kiss Maggie but wasn't sure if she was allowed to and she didn't want to rush Maggie or make her do anything she wasn't ready for.

Maggie initiated the first kiss, leaning over until their lips connected. Their kiss was light, their lips barely touching as Tara tried to make sure Maggie was comfortable. Maggie slipped her tongue into Tara's mouth, feeling the urgency build up within her.

Maggie moved so that her body was on top of Tara, their lips never losing touch. Tara allowed her hands to slowly wander over Maggie's arms and back, letting her hand cautiously go under Maggie's shirt to feel her soft skin.

Tara could feel herself get an erection from all the excitement, even though she tried to fight it. Maggie felt how hard Tara was and suddenly needed to stop what was happening. She wasn't anywhere near ready to have sex, just the thought brought so much anxiety and fear.

Maggie immediately rolled off of Tara, quickly turning away, feeling ashamed and embarrassed that she couldn't continue. Tara was surprised by the abrupt change, trying to calm her labored breathing and excited body. She felt horrible that it had went that far after the traumatizing experience that Maggie had been through.

Tara took a few moments to calm down, the blood in her body rushing to her other head. She could hear sniffling coming from the other side of the bed and knew Maggie had been affected by this.

"I'm sorry...I just can't..." Maggie apologized, hoping that Tara wasn't too upset with her.

Tara took a deep breath, trying to calm her raging body down. She could slowly feel her erection going down. Very slowly. Tara turned towards Maggie, cautiously placing her hand on Maggie's back. Maggie trembled under her light touch.

"Hey...baby. It's alright, I promise. I just don't want you to feel pressured to do anything too soon, ok? I can wait until you're ready. I don't care how long you need...I will wait," Tara soothly said as Maggie turned on her back to look up into Tara's eyes.

"You can find someone else until I'm ready. I'm sure there are loads of women who want to be with you," Maggie said sadly as she continued crying.

"I don't want anyone but you Maggie. I told you, I'm here for you every step of the way so don't push me away. You know I love you so much and I'll do anything for you. So don't push me away..." Tara whispered as she gently leaned down to place a soft, chaste kiss on Maggie's lips.

"I'm ruined though and weak..." Maggie tried to turn away but Tara stopped her.

"Baby, you're not ruined. I swear you're not. Don't ever think that...you're everything to me. You and Peanut are my life," Tara hoped that Maggie could see how much she still loved her.

"I wish you could see yourself through my eyes...see how amazing you are to me. You're not weak...you're strong. You're a survivor. We will get through this, I promise," Tara placed another kiss on Maggie's lips.

Tara went back to her side of the bed, waiting for Maggie to get comfortable enough to snuggle again. After a few minutes, Tara felt Maggie's body slowly get closer until she was snuggled into her once again. Maggie's breathing relaxed as she took in the way Tara made her feel secure and safe. A few moments went by until Maggie finally started to fall into a deep slumber.

"I love you..." Maggie whispered so quietly Tara barely heard her.

"I love you, too," Tara held her wife tightly, placing a soft kiss on her hair.

Tara stayed up until the sun started to rise, the soft light starting to brighten up the room. Maggie cuddled deeper into her body, sighing with content. Tara knew that Maggie's road to recovery was just beginning and that it would be a long and strenuous journey but she knew Maggie would prevail in the end. Tara just knew she had to be there every step of the way for Maggie. She knew it would be long time until any kind of normalcy could be felt again.

She stayed up just a bit longer wondering what other secrets Alexandria and its people held. Tara wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

* * *

Nicholas is gone! Tara and the guys made sure he suffered big time for what he did to poor Maggie. So of course, what happened to Maggie will affect her in a big way. Will she ever feel like her old self again? Of course, Tara will be there for her but will Maggie try to push her away? What else is going on in the seemingly perfect Alexandria? Are the people prepared for their first major threat coming up? We will see! Stay tuned.

This chapter's song is "Oats in the Water" by Ben Howard. Excellent song by the way! :)

As always thank you so much for all your reviews, faves, views, etc. You guys always make me feel awesome and important with all your praises and whatnot. So thank you...I love you all. Thank you to my anonymous reviewer who never fails to leave me awesome reviews every week! You're the best! :)


	25. A Beautiful Lie

Tara woke up a couple of hours later with Maggie still securely in her arms, sleeping peacefully. Tara knew that she would have to get up soon since Deanna would find out that Nicholas was missing from the prison cell.

After disposing of Nicholas and resting for a bit, Rick and Daryl had quickly returned to the building that held the cells. Before Alexandria was roused up by the sun, the two men staged the prison cell to make it look like Nicholas had escaped on his own.

They all knew Deanna would probably figure out what had happened. She was an intelligent woman after all, but they had been immaculate about leaving any kind of evidence behind that would specifically pin point their group. Tara knew that Deanna would need hard evidence to punish them for their crime.

Tara didn't care about the consequences for murdering Nicholas. She would do it all over again if she had to. The bastard had beat and raped her pregnant wife, letting him live was not an option. Tara didn't care if Deanna threatened to exile her, the monster was gone and that's all that mattered. Now, Maggie could begin her long healing process without being afraid of Nicholas trying to get her again.

She also knew that they needed to figure out who the third man at the party had been. Tara didn't want to take the chance of Maggie being a victim all over again. Her protectiveness over Maggie was in full swing, and Tara didn't know if she would ever feel comfortable being away from Maggie.

Their sense of security had been shattered because that prick didn't have the balls to confront Tara and Daryl himself. He instead had to take out his frustrations and anger on Maggie who had been innocent in the whole mess.

Tara took a deep breath trying to calm down, knowing her anger was starting to get the best of her. She reminded herself that Nicholas was gone now, never to hurt Maggie again. Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie tighter, wanting to guard her wife from all the evils that the world still contained.

Maggie sighed contently as she gripped Tara's shirt, the fabric between her fingers giving her a sense of solace. Maggie placed a soft kiss on the body beneath hers as she moved so that her full weight was on Tara, burrowing into the warmth that she craved.

The young couple enjoyed their few moments of peace before there was a light knock on the door. Tara felt Maggie stir a bit on her, but she remained sleeping. Tara quietly told their visitor to come in. The door opened to reveal Daryl and Carol standing in the doorway.

"Deanna wants to talk to you, me, and Rick right now. We've been summoned to a meeting," Daryl said as Tara sighed in annoyance. She knew this was coming but she didn't want to leave Maggie.

"I'll stay with her. I'll try to get her to eat something. She hasn't really had anything to eat since it happened. That's not good for the baby," Carol revealed as Tara looked at her in surprise.

Tara had been so preoccupied with getting revenge against Nicholas that she hadn't taken care of Maggie or the baby's well-being. After dealing with whatever Deanna had to say, she would make sure that Maggie stayed healthy. Tara couldn't let her wife shut down, not when the baby was still depending on both of them.

"Yeah, if not, I'll try to get her to eat when I get back," Tara said as she looked down at Maggie who was still sleeping.

"Hey, you need to take care of yourself too, Tara. I know you haven't eaten anything. Just been drinkin' scotch and whiskey," Daryl admonished Tara like a little kid.

"Alright...I'll eat a granola bar or something before I leave," Tara promised as she gently and slowly pushed Maggie off her. Maggie nuzzled into Tara's pillow, still sleeping soundly.

Carol and Daryl went downstairs so Tara could get dressed. She knelt down by Maggie's side of the bed, placing a kiss on her cheek. Tara ran her fingers through Maggie's soft hair, wondering how anyone could hurt Maggie in any way. The bruises on Maggie's face were more prominent as Tara softly grazed the dark marks.

Tara forced herself away from Maggie's side, shutting the door quietly before she went downstairs. Rick, Carol, and Daryl were in the kitchen, waiting for her.

"Here eat this," Daryl handed Tara a granola bar, insisting that she eat it.

Tara forced herself to eat the food, even though she wasn't hungry. Tara had to admit, since she found out about the rape, she had been too preoccupied with Nicholas and being by Maggie's side to take care of herself. She only took a few drinks of liquor whenever she needed to calm her nerves a bit.

"You guys ready?" Rick asked as he walked to the door, ready to get this meeting over with.

"Yeah," Daryl gave Carol a quick hug before joining Rick at the door. Tara hesitated about leaving Maggie behind.

"She'll be alright. I won't let anything happen to Maggie, I promise," Carol vowed as Tara double checked to make sure the back door was locked.

"I know you won't...I'm just afraid of leaving her behind. Be sure to lock the front door. That other guy is still loose and could come here," Tara knew Carol would do everything she could to keep Maggie secure.

"And I'll stay with Maggie later also so you can go to Noah's funeral. I know you were getting close to him," Carol told Tara who gave her an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Carol. That really means a lot to me. And for keeping an eye on Maggie, of course," Tara walked over to the door, joining Rick and Daryl.

"You know I would do anything for Maggie," Carol hugged Tara before she walked out the door, and onto the front porch.

Tara made sure that Carol locked the door before she and her friends started walking towards Deanna's house. They were quiet for a few minutes before Rick broke the silence around them.

"We stick to the story that Nicholas escaped from his cell. Deanna doesn't have a shred of evidence to say otherwise," Rick instructed his two runners as they nodded in agreement.

"I don't care what Deanna does to me. That fucker deserved what we did to him. What he did to Maggie was unforgivable," Daryl commented as the trio continued to walk toward the Monroe house.

Tara just looked at the pavement, trying not to think about what had been done to Maggie. Although, that was all Tara had on her mind most of the time, especially after the revelation that Nicholas had dropped on her. The fact that Maggie had been calling and crying for her during the incident continued to eat at Tara. She felt like she had failed as a protector for her growing family.

She would try to distract herself from those thoughts and found liquor helped a bit, but knew it wasn't a good way to deal with what had happened to her wife. Tara knew she would have to talk to someone about it...probably Daryl or Rick.

She had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice that they had arrived at the Monroe household until Rick was knocking on the door. Spencer answered after a couple of knocks, a sad look on his face.

"My mom's in her office, waiting to talk to y'all," Spencer stepped aside to let Daryl and Rick through the door. As Tara made her way past him, he gently grabbed her arm to stop her.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Maggie. I swear...if I knew Nicholas was that kind of monster, I would have hurt him myself. Just know that even if you guys had somethin' to do with his disappearance, I support you all the way," Spencer held out his hand for a handshake which Tara accepted.

"Thanks, man. I guess bad news travels fast around here," Tara said as Spencer just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, not everyone knows what happened to Maggie. Just a few people," Spencer replied which made Tara feel a little bit better. She knew that Maggie wouldn't want the whole town to look at her like a victim.

Tara wondered how Spencer would react when he found out that his older brother, Aiden, had been a monster just like Nicholas, and had tormented many women in Alexandria. She gave the youngest Monroe a small smile as she made her way to Deanna's office where everyone was waiting for her.

Tara closed the door behind her as she looked around the room. Deanna was standing by the window, looking out at her seemingly perfect community. Tara joined Rick and Daryl who were by the bookcase, waiting for Deanna to start talking. There were a few tense seconds of silence that filled the air.

"I assume you all know why you are here," Deanna gave the three friends in front of her a stern look.

"We don't know what you're talking about. Michonne came and woke me up when she discovered that Nicholas was missing. All the evidence points to a prison break. Maybe someone helped him...I don't know," Rick explained as Deanna saw right through his facade. She marched up to the trio, pointing her finger at Rick.

"No. What I think happened is that your group decided to forgo the whole justice process and take matters into your own hands. You just can't do whatever you want here. There are rules that apply to everyone, including you," Deanna glared at her three visitors, not exactly sure what to do with them.

"Doesn't matter what happened. That man was a rapist. Whatever happened to him, he deserved. Fuck your justice system. With people like that, they don't get no justice," Daryl added his two cents becoming more angry as the seconds went by.

"Plus, if you had exiled him, Nicholas could have brought bad people here to attack this place. And God knows this place isn't ready for an enemy attack. Sometimes, executing someone is the only way the situation can be handled so everyone is safe," Rick commented as Deanna glanced at the determined faces around her.

"What about you, Tara? Have anything to say for yourself?" Deanna gave her a stern look.

"I don't have anything to say. Just glad he's gone. Alexandria is a bit safer now," Tara simply said as Deanna marched over to the window.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with y'all. This is not your place to take over and run. We don't need y'all destroying the peaceful community we have worked so hard to create. I sympathize with Maggie...I really do. It's a horrible crime, but you just can't go around dealing out your own justice," Deanna lectured as Tara just shook her head.

"Peaceful community? Are you kidding? There are skeletons in closets all over this place! Horrible crimes taking place within these walls that you didn't know about. Hell, a monster was under your roof and you were none the wiser!" Tara tried to keep her voice down, but she was growing irritated with how Deanna kept portraying Alexandria as flawless.

"What are you talking about?" Deanna asked completely taken back by these new allegations.

"Aiden! He assaulted Maggie at the party a few nights ago. Nicholas and some other guy were there also. They didn't get a chance to do anything to her there, but they threatened her," Tara claimed as Deanna sat down in her office chair, shocked.

The older woman wasn't sure what to think about those accusations. Deanna remembered how unsettled Maggie had been in the kitchen. She knew the young woman wouldn't lie about something serious like that. She also realized that Tara wasn't done with the list of crimes that her beloved son had allegedly committed.

"According to Nicholas, he and Aiden participated in about 15-20 sexual assaults. I don't know if there are any victims willing to talk about their rape, but Nicole told me that they both raped her the first night she was here. Who knows how many victims there really are? They're probably just afraid to come forward because they know one of the perpetrators was their leader's son," Tara watched as Deanna put her face in her hands. Silence filled the room as everyone waited for Deanna to say something.

"I've always known that Aiden was different. He really never had empathy for others but I never thought he be would be dangerous and actually hurt people. You all are free to go. Y'all are right...two very menacing people are gone. If you find anyone who was a victim and wants to talk, please send them my way," Deanna sighed sadly as she realized just how much damage her son had caused. She didn't want to fight Rick or his group on this matter anymore.

"There's still another guy out there that we need to take care of," Daryl reminded Deanna who looked up at the group.

"Talk to Maggie. See what she remembers about him. When you find him, don't kill him. We don't have any proof that he raped or hurt anyone until witnesses come forward. In Maggie's case, it sounds like he was an onlooker. Not cause for execution. Understood?" Deanna told the three friends in front of her in a firm voice.

"We understand," Rick wasn't sure he liked the idea of not killing this third guy but Deanna had made some valid points. They would at least give the perpetrator an ass kicking before they delivered him to Deanna. And if he turned out to be a rapist, they would kill him with no regrets.

"I'll see y'all at the funerals later. But please, don't let this get out to the community about Aiden. At least not until his father and brother have grieved for a couple of days," Deanna said as she walked the trio to the front door.

"Try to have a good day and stay out of trouble," Deanna promptly closed the door behind them.

Rick, Daryl, and Tara stood on the porch for a few seconds, deciding what to do about the mystery man and where to start.

"We have a couple of hours until the funerals. Let's just relax, get some rest, and then afterwards, we'll hit the ground runnin' to find this other bastard," Rick suggested as Tara and Daryl nodded in agreement to his plan.

"Tara, I need you to talk to Maggie. See if she can remember what the guy looked liked. Any distinguishing characteristics. I think she'll only really talk to you. Hopefully, she can point us in the right direction," Rick added, knowing that Maggie was only comfortable with Tara right now.

The trio agreed to the plan before they went their separate ways. Rick was going on a patrol around the neighborhood and to talk to Michonne about figuring out who the third man had been. Daryl decided to go out into the woods for a bit to clear his head while Tara headed back to the house to be with Maggie.

Tara walked back to the house with her hands in her pockets, shoulders down. She wondered if Maggie would even want to talk about what happened at the party. Tara didn't want to do anything that would bring back bad memories for Maggie but they needed the information. They had little else to go on and a potentially dangerous man on the loose was a major threat to the community. Tara could only hope that she wouldn't traumatize Maggie any further.

* * *

Tara made her way into the house after unlocking the door. As she was walking into the living room, Carol was halfway down the stairs with a knife in her hand. Carol immediately relaxed and put up her weapon as Tara gave her an amused smile.

"I surrender," Tara softly grinned, raising her arms in the air as Carol let out a little laugh.

"Don't make fun, Tara. I'm sure I could beat your ass if I wanted to," Carol joked.

"Yeah, I'm sure you could. That's why I'll never get on your bad side," Tara said while she gave Carol a hug. They quickly became serious as they made their way up the stairs.

"How's she doing? Did she eat much?" Tara asked as they stopped momentarily in front of the door. She was concerned not only about Maggie's health but also the baby's.

"She took a few bites of a sandwich I made but not much. Maggie is just kinda numb which is to be expected. She didn't talk much...just slept mostly," Carol informed Tara on how Maggie had been acting that morning.

Tara sighed. She really hated seeing Maggie so broken, especially when she knew how strong-willed Maggie was. Tara could only hope that they could somehow get past all this and Maggie could rebuild her self-confidence.

"Thank you for staying with her. I don't want her by herself for at least a couple of weeks or until we catch the other fucker," Tara tried to calm down as she felt herself get angry at the mention of the unknown suspect.

"We'll get him and make sure that he doesn't hurt Maggie or anyone else," Carol could see the anguish in Tara's eyes. She pulled Tara in for another hug before she continued.

"Right now though, just spend some time with Maggie. She only feels completely safe when you're around. You're the only one who can bring her out of this. I've seen you do it before after what happened to Beth and Glenn. She needs you," Carol gave Tara a little pep talk before she leaned over, giving Tara a kiss on the forehead.

Tara smiled briefly at Carol before she opened the door to her room. She spotted Maggie on the bed, turned away, blanket wrapped securely around her. Tara gently closed the door, barely making a sound as she made her away around the room.

Maggie opened her eyes knowing that Carol was gone but someone else was in the room with her. She felt her heart start to race for a few seconds as panic set in. There could be anyone in that room with her, even someone trying to hurt her again. Maggie felt the beginnings of an anxiety attack as it became harder to breath and her heart beat frantically.

Maggie sat up in the bed in a full panic. Sweat starting to drip down her forehead as her adrenaline kicked into high gear. Tara immediately rushed to her side, sitting down on the bed next to Maggie.

"Hey baby, it's alright. It's just me...it's Tara. It's just me..." Tara whispered softly to Maggie who was trembling in her arms.

"I'm sorry..." Maggie sobbed as the ability to breath slowly started to become easier.

"You have nothing to apologize for, sweetie. Just relax. Take deep breaths," Tara gently coaxed Maggie into calming down.

Finally, after a few intense minutes, Maggie was finally able to relax. She kept sobbing silently to herself, turning away from Tara. Maggie felt so ashamed of how she was reacting to the slightest actions from other people. The rape was still fresh in her mind though. Every time she closed her eyes, it replayed in her head over and over, horrible memories that would not be forgotten.

"I'm sorry I'm such an emotional mess. I'm just so scared sometimes. Maybe you should just leave. I'm givin' you an out, Tara. Who knows when I'll be normal again. Who knows when I'll be ready to have sex again and I know that's important to you. Maybe you should just go..." Maggie cried as she buried her head in the pillow. She knew how hard this was on Tara and was prepared to let her go if things got too complicated.

Tara was silent for a few seconds before she lightly started to stroke Maggie's side, making sure she wasn't overstepping any boundaries.

"Maggie, sweetie, you know I love you more than anything. I will do whatever I can to make sure that you're safe and feel loved. I know you're scared and that's normal. And I know it'll be a long time until you're ready for a lot of things but it's alright, baby. I will do whatever I can to help you get through this. I will never leave you or our child...I promise. I love you so much. You're my soulmate and soulmates never die," Tara leaned over and kissed Maggie on the cheek, feeling her shiver slightly under her touch.

Tara moved to the other side of the bed, resting her head on the pillow. She closed her eyes, deciding to try to get a quick nap until the funerals started in a couple of hours. Tara could hear Maggie crying softly to herself. She wanted nothing more than to comfort her traumatized wife, but knew she had to wait until Maggie was comfortable and made the first move.

A few minutes later, Tara felt movement in the bed as Maggie cuddled into her side. Maggie rested her head on Tara's chest, feeling Tara's arms wrap securely around her.

"How long do you have until you have to leave?" Maggie asked quietly. She didn't want Tara to take off but she knew that Tara had Noah's funeral to attend and some other things to take care of.

"I've got a couple of hours until I need to head out. I need to talk to you about a few things though. Some of it might be hard to open up about," Tara said as she felt Maggie's body stiffen a bit beside her.

"Hey...if you ever feel uncomfortable just let me know and I will ease up," Tara promised, not wanting to scare Maggie in any way. She had already been traumatized enough over the past couple of days.

"What do you want to know?" Maggie asked quietly, her fingers gripping Tara's shirt.

"The night of the party, you said that Nick, Aiden, and another guy cornered you in the kitchen. Do you remember what he looked like? Hair color? Height? Anything like that?" Tara gently asked as Maggie thought it over.

"I don't really remember much about him. He didn't really talk much, and I mostly remember Aiden rubbin' up against up me," Maggie sighed as she felt more tears escape her eyes.

"Come on, Maggie. Anything can help us find this bastard so I can handle him, and make sure he doesn't hurt you or anyone else. So just think...anything can help. Even the littlest details," Tara softly prodded Maggie for any kind of information.

Maggie was quiet for a few minutes as she tried to remember the mystery man from that night. She knew she needed to be as helpful as she could possibly be. Maggie realized she wouldn't feel completely safe until Tara dealt with whoever had been part of Aiden's sick group.

"He was white with black or dark brown hair, cut kinda short, I think. He was about 5'8" or 5'9", and maybe had blue or green eyes. He was around our age," Maggie recalled the man who had been there that night.

"Ok...that's a good start. Anything else you can remember?" Tara asked gently, taking Maggie's hand into her own. She knew that this was hard on Maggie, and just wanted to be supportive in any way she could.

"I can't think of anything else. Most of my attention was on Aiden and Nicholas. I'm sorry," Maggie apologized, feeling like she had failed Tara and their whole family by not remembering more.

Maggie couldn't stop the tears that started to fall. She hated feeling so weak and dependent on someone else, but right now all she needed and wanted was Tara. There was no one else who could comfort and make her safe like Tara could.

"Hey...it's alright, babe. You did great. You gave me some good information. Let's get some rest until it's time for me to head out," Tara laid back against the bed, gently pulling Maggie along with her.

Maggie snuggled up into Tara, listening to her heartbeat which brought a sense of calm. Maggie placed a soft kiss on Tara before closing her eyes to sleep.

Tara stayed up until she felt Maggie fall asleep, her breathing slow and relaxed. Tara sighed as she saw the bruises that still marked Maggie's face, wondering what Maggie had been through that horrible night. She slowly let her hand wander to Maggie's stomach, hoping that their baby was alright. Tara kept a protective watch over Maggie until she fell into a slumber.

An hour and a half later, a quiet knock roused Tara up from her sleep. She realized that her and Maggie had moved positions so now they were spooning with her holding Maggie close. Tara also realized that there was a very noticeable tent in her pants from the slight friction against Maggie's body.

She immediately got up from the bed before Maggie could feel her erection. Tara definitely didn't want to make Maggie uncomfortable in any way, knowing that she wasn't ready for anything sexual. There was another knock as Tara immediately walked to the door before the noise could wake up her sleeping wife.

Tara opened the door, finding Daryl on the other side. Daryl looked at her before letting his eyes wander to the tent in her pants.

"Wow...when I said be up and ready, I didn't mean that way," Daryl couldn't help but snicker as Tara tried to cover up with a spare pillow.

Carol came into view, ready to stay with Maggie while Tara was gone. She caught a peek of what Tara was trying to hide and couldn't help but giggle.

"Well, I didn't think you would be that excited to see me," Carol joked as Daryl let out a quiet laugh.

"You guys suck," Tara couldn't hide the smile that was on her face. She was happy to be able to laugh for once. The past couple of days had been nothing but stressful and depressing for everyone. They all let out a few soft laughs before they got serious.

"How is she?" Carol asked as they all turned to look at Maggie, who was still in a deep sleep.

"She gave me some information about the third guy but not much to go on. We'll have to figure out another way to find out who that bastard is," Tara told her friends as she still tried to stay covered up.

"We'll find that fucker, and make sure he pays. Right now though, we need to say goodbye to Noah," Daryl said as sadness filled the room at the mention of the young man's name.

Tara tossed the pillow aside since her body was calm now. She quickly gave Maggie a kiss on the cheek before hugging Carol goodbye. Daryl and Tara made their way out of the house and walked slowly to where the makeshift graveyard had been set up in the town.

Rick and other family members were already there as they joined their small group that was set away from Alexandria residents. The townspeople looked wary of the newcomers, knowing that problems had been arising between Rick's group and Deanna.

Tara saw Pete, the surgeon, who Rick still wanted to take out. Pete had his arm around his wife, Jessie, who kept trying to avert her gaze from Rick. Tara could tell that something was going on between the married couple. She hoped that Pete wouldn't hurt Jessie before they could handle him. Tara was all for making sure that this town was clear of all the scumbags who still resided there, no matter what Deanna said.

Father Gabriel said a few comforting words before he stepped aside to let Deanna speak. Deanna looked at the small crowd, knowing that a lot of the townspeople were uneasy about the new direction Alexandria was going in.

"Today, we mourn two of our own. I know these last few days have been hard but together we will prosper and see that Alexandria is brought to its full potential. If anyone needs to talk, my door is always open. Thank you all for coming out today," Deanna gave a little pep talk before people started giving their condolences for her loss.

Nicole made her way to Tara, wanting to give her some kind of comfort. She smiled as Tara turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry about Noah. He was a great kid and funny whenever I talked to him," Nicole gave her sympathy as she leaned in for a hug.

"Thanks. I'm really gonna miss him," Tara replied as she looked around the crowd. She spotted Holly, the girl Noah had a crush on, crying softly to herself.

"How's Maggie? Do you need me to check up on her?" Nicole asked.

"She's coping. Or trying to. Actually, do you guys have any prenatal vitamins? She's not really eating much and I want to make sure the baby gets some kind of nutrients," Tara let Nicole know what was going on.

"Yeah, I can bring some over. I can try to talk to her if you want. We've been through the same experience," Nicole suggested. She really just wanted to help Maggie out, knowing how hard it was to get your life back on track after something that traumatic.

"Maggie's not ready to talk yet. Hopefully, she will be soon though. But please bring those vitamins over later. I won't be home but Carol will be there," Tara saw that Rick and Daryl were walking towards her, ready to hit the ground running.

"Ok, I'll bring them by. Good luck with finding that third guy," Nicole gave Tara another hug before heading back to the infirmary to get the pills.

Daryl and Rick watched Nicole walk away, both of them briefly wondering if they should be worried about her budding friendship with Tara.

"What did Maggie say? Any useful information?" Rick asked as he glared at Pete who walked by him with Jessie in tow.

"She described what he looked like. About 25-30 years old. White. Short black or dark brown hair. About 5'8" or 5'9" and blue or green eyes," Tara listed the qualities that Maggie had described.

Daryl sighed. "That's 'bout half the damn male population here."

"Let's go check out Nick's house and Aiden's room. See if maybe there might be somethin' to narrow this suspect pool down. Maybe they wrote something or whatnot. It's a long shot for sure, but it'll make good police work," Rick suggested as the other two agreed.

"Ready to be a cop again?" Daryl laughed, clapping Tara on the back a few times.

"To catch this fucker? Hell yeah," Tara said as they decided to start at Nicholas' house. The trio made their way to the home, unaware that they were being watched from afar.

A man fitting the description that Maggie had given stood on the porch of his home, watching the friends make their way to Nick's house. He knew they were looking for him and he definitely couldn't have that. Rick's group had no idea that their mystery man was more dangerous than Aiden and Nicholas combined.

* * *

Roger Stevens, as he was known in Alexandria, made his way inside his home, locking the door behind him. He knew it was only a matter of time before Rick's group came knocking on his door. So Roger had to do whatever he could to make sure his true identity never came out. If the Grimes' group found out who he really was, they would kill him on the spot.

Roger Stevens was actually Roger M. Kronin, a budding serial killer who had been arrested before his victim count could surpass four. Before the apocalypse, Roger's claim to fame was being an accountant who tortured, raped, and murdered young women in Augusta, Georgia. He was good at what he did, not leaving a shred of evidence behind. Roger strived to be the next Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer.

The only reason Roger had been caught was that he had foolishly let his last victim go after she pleaded for her life. Of course, the bitch had ran to the police, who arrested him about a week later. A trial ensued with little fanfare since most of his victims were prostitutes and runaways...society's trash. Roger learned from that incident that no future victims would ever be left alive.

Roger was prepared to spend the rest of his life in prison until the apocalypse hit and destroyed humanity. He was able to easily escape from prison, and set off on his own, trying to survive. Of course, the urge to kill never left him. Roger tried to surpass the rage building up within him, since there were no victims in sight. After a couple of weeks, Roger finally found a woman traveling on her own.

Roger had been able to get the woman to trust him with his charming ways and good looks. She immediately trusted him and thought they would form a group together. Of course, Roger had different ideas and plans for her. He quickly took the woman, whose name has been Sally, to a secluded cabin where he proceeded to brutally torture and rape her. After the thrill was gone, Roger killed Sally by his favorite method, strangulation.

A couple of years after escaping prison, Roger stumbled upon Alexandria. He couldn't believe his luck, a place with a steady supply of victims for his disgusting urges. He was afraid that Deanna would recognize him from the news but instantly relaxed when he realized that she was a Congresswoman from Ohio, and had no clue who he truly was. Roger was able to easily charm her with his likable personality.

He was given a job on the construction crew that stayed inside the walls, designing and creating new buildings. After a couple of days, Roger ran into Aiden and Nicholas, and knew immediately that they had something in common with him. They had the feeling also since they invited Roger over to Nick's house for a few beers one night.

While at the house, the three drunk men soon started to confess their sins to one another. Aiden and Nick thought they had the upper hand when they revealed all the sexual assaults they had committed in Alexandria together. Roger had simply scoffed and called them amateurs.

Roger had Aiden and Nicholas' full attention as he told them about his history. He also relived a couple of his favorite kills, noticing how excited the other men seemed at the prospect of killing a young woman. The trio decided to participate together in a murder when they found the right victim.

A couple of weeks later, Roger found the perfect prey. A young woman who had no family ties or many friends in the town. Her name was Stacy and she had just arrived to Alexandria by herself after running into Aaron. Roger was positive that if she turned up missing, no one would notice. If someone did, they would think that Stacy left on her own.

So on a cold, rainy night, Aiden, Nicholas, and Roger broke into the young woman's house, kidnapping her and carefully taking her to an empty house in the desolate part of town. The friends made sure that no one saw them as they took the poor woman into the basement.

There all three of them viciously raped the girl, making it so that no one could hear her cries. When it came to the torture and killing though, Aiden and Nicholas had chickened out, saying they couldn't go that far. They believed that threatening their victims had worked for them so far and they had no intentions of killing anyone.

Roger knew better though. He had learned the hard way that leaving living witnesses was a huge risk. One that he definitely wouldn't take. So Roger continued with the torture and strangulation as the others looked away apprehensively. Finally, the woman was dead as they made plans to get rid of the body.

The three men took the body to the back wall where no one was on patrol. They quickly tossed the rigid body over the wall before climbing over themselves. Quietly, they buried the body in a sloppy, makeshift grave. They were absolutely positive that no one would ever find the body.

No one in the town suspected they were the cause of the young woman's disappearance. Most of the townspeople thought she had taken off on her own. Plus, nobody in town really knew who Roger was since he kept mostly to himself so his name never came up.

So Aiden, Nicholas, and Roger formed a dangerous trio who encouraged each other to be more violent with each victim they encountered. Roger hadn't killed since Stacy but he willingly participated in a few rapes, always wearing a mask so no one would be able to identify him. Life had been good for the gang within the walls of Alexandria, no victims ever came forward and more seemed to come through the gates.

Now his trio was gone and he was the only one left. Roger knew that it had been foolish to go after a woman in Rick's group, but Aiden and Nicholas had let their personal feelings get in the way of business. They targeted Maggie specifically because Aiden had been upset about the fight he had with Tara after their first supply run.

At the party, the plan had been to get Maggie out of the Monroe house through the back door and do whatever they pleased with her. Of course, Spencer ended up ruining their plan by loudly calling for Aiden, and bringing unnecessary attention. So they quickly scraped the plan and decided to get her later.

Of course, Aiden died on a later supply run. That should have been the end of the story for Roger but no. Nicholas had to stupidly attack Maggie in a fit of rage, and get himself killed. Roger knew that Tara and her group had gotten their revenge against Nick, and it was only a matter of time before they came to deal with him.

Roger knew Maggie had told the others about the party now that Aiden and Nick were both gone. He also knew that Maggie would recognize him as soon as she saw him, and he couldn't have that. Roger sat down on his couch as he tried to think of a perfect plan that would get him Maggie.

He knew this would be a high risk operation. Many of the townspeople knew who Maggie was since she was Deanna's govern assistant. So they would immediately take notice of Maggie being with him and in turn recognize him if questioned later. Roger cursed Aiden and Nicholas for putting him in this situation. They just couldn't keep their own goddamn vendettas out of the hunting game.

Suddenly, Roger thought of the perfect plan to get rid of the only witness who could identify him. He might have to leave town for a few days but he could return after he changed his appearance some, and then he could keep doing what he did best - hunt women. Roger knew the only sure way to keep from getting himself killed was to stop murdering but the need was encrypted in his blood. He couldn't stop, no matter what. The only way he would stop was by being caught or death.

The rush Roger felt when he had his hands around some helpless woman's neck was like nothing he had ever experienced. The feeling was better than sex or any drug induced high, and Roger was addicted to the euphoria. He would kill and swear that would be the last one until that familiar tick would invade his body and he couldn't function. Suddenly, fantasies and reliving the acts wasn't enough anymore. Roger could feel that tick in his flesh at that very moment, and knew the need would soon consume him.

Roger sat on his sofa and carefully thought about his plan. He knew Rick's group would be hard to fool and that they were on high alert, but he was sure that he could do what he needed to do. By the time they figured out that Maggie was gone, Roger would be out of Alexandria and out of the grasp of justice. Roger smiled to himself as he came up with the steps he needed to take and the supplies he would need to gather up as soon as possible. Roger planned to strike the next day, and everything needed to be immaculate and ready.

* * *

Tara, Daryl, and Rick looked through Nicholas' room, pulling out drawers and looking for anything that could pinpoint where their unknown suspect was. So far, they hadn't found anything useful.

Daryl turned over the mattress to find a small pistol and hunting knife hidden. He was glad that those hadn't been used in the attack against Maggie, he could only imagine the outcome.

"Doesn't seem like there's anythin' here. I mean, we looked through all the drawers in this house. Looked through every room, and nothin'," Daryl sighed with discouragement.

Rick was looking through the closet, knocking around on the walls when one section sounded hollow.

"Hold on. Maybe it's not hopeless after all," Rick opened the small section of the wall to reveal a box, hidden. He pulled out the cardboard box that was taped up really well.

Rick pulled out his knife, stabbing the box to open it. He immediately grimaced when he discovered what the box contained. Apparently, Nicholas liked to keep trophies from his forced encounters. Rick dropped the box on the floor which was full of Nicholas' victim's underwear.

Daryl and Tara peered at the box with disgust. There had to be over thirty pairs in that box, which meant that there were a whole bunch of unknown victims in town.

"That fuckin' sick bastard," Tara muttered as she turned away in revulsion. She wondered briefly if Maggie's was in that collection before pushing the thought from her mind.

"At least we took care of that damn motherfucker," Daryl simply said as they remained silent for a few minutes.

"Well, there's nothin' here. Let's go check out Aiden's room. See if we can find somethin' there," Rick announced before they started to head out the door.

"What 'bout that box?" Daryl asked. He knew they needed to get rid of it to spare the victims even more humiliation.

"I'll come back later and burn it in the fireplace. No need for anyone else to see what that sick bastard saved," Rick put the box back in the closet.

After locking the house, the friends walked to Deanna's house to inspect Aiden's room. Tara knocked on the door which was opened by Spencer. He had a distraught look on his face. Tara guessed that Deanna had broken the news to him about what his brother had been up to.

"I'm sorry...my brother was such a monster. I wanna help you guys catch this other bastard. It's the least I can do," Spencer almost pleaded to the group in front of him.

"You can help us take a look around in his room, and see if there's anythin' that will point to the third suspect. We need to get him off the streets as soon as possible," Rick informed the younger Monroe.

"Yeah, come on. His room is up here," Spencer began to lead them up the stairs to Aiden's bedroom.

"My mom already knows that y'all were coming over. She said tear the room apart if you have to," Spencer said as he opened up the door.

They all walked into the bedroom that was very neat and tidy. Nothing was out of place and there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere.

"Wow...what a neat freak," Daryl commented as he looked around the room.

"Yeah. Aiden was always the neater one of us two," Spencer said as he started to pull out drawers. The others took his lead as they started to turn the room inside out.

Tara looked through the closet, finding nothing of interest. She knocked on the walls, listening for any hollow sections. She didn't find any before she started to go through some of the dresser drawers.

All four of them ransacked the room until almost everything had been over turned and searched through. Daryl lifted the mattress off the bed frame, revealing a small journal. Rick quickly grabbed it as he opened the book and started reading the sloppy handwriting.

"Looks like Aiden wrote about some of his crimes. He also says that there were two other men workin' with him and that they were like a pack looking for prey. Some sick shit in here. Maybe there's somethin' to help us though," Rick flipped through the pages of the journal.

Tara glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost dinner time. She had been away from Maggie way longer than she had intended to be.

"Let's look over the book at home. I need to get back to Maggie already," Tara said as the rest of her friends agreed.

They left the room, following Spencer down the stairs and to the front door.

The Monroe boy turned and looked at Rick's group, still feeling guilty about the reign of terror his older brother had caused.

"I'm sorry about everythin' my brother did. I'm sorry about what happened to Maggie. If there's anything I can do to help...please let me know. I just don't want y'all to think I'm a bad person cuz of Aiden," Spencer had his shoulders down as he apologized.

Tara knew that this was killing the young man so she placed her hand on his arm.

"Hey, this isn't your fault. This is your brother's doing, not yours. So don't feel guilty, I know you're a great guy. I've known since I've met you," Tara tried to comfort Spencer who gave her a small smile.

"Thanks Tara," Spencer still felt horrible but it felt nice to know that Tara didn't blame him in any way.

Rick, Daryl, and Tara stood on the front porch after Spencer had bid them goodbye. Rick glanced out into the peaceful community that had absolutely no idea what monsters lurked within the walls.

"I'm gonna go burn that box. You two head on home, and we'll go over the journal after dinner," Rick said as he made his way down the steps.

"Alright...be careful," Daryl called to Rick as their friend waved to them.

Tara and Daryl strolled down the streets, waving causally at people who greeted them. Tara had a bad feeling within her, like something horrible was about to happen. She hoped they would find clues to who their unknown suspect was before anything happened. Tara had a feeling she would be meeting this mystery man soon.

* * *

Tara and Daryl arrived home a few minutes later. Everyone was in the kitchen except Maggie, who was still in the bedroom. Carl was holding Judith while Carol was busy with Rosita making dinner. Sasha and Abraham were sitting at the counter watching the happenings in the kitchen. Michonne took Judith from Carl and handed the baby to Tara.

"It's your turn for baby duty," Michonne smiled as Tara held Judith close.

Tara grinned as she rocked Judith back and forth. "Were you a good baby today? Or were you a little menace?"

"How's Maggie?" Tara asked Carol as Judith grabbed the fabric of her shirt.

"Nothin' has changed much. She keeps mostly to herself. Although, Nicole did come by with those prenatal vitamins which is good cuz Maggie didn't eat much. She barely wanted to take the pill until I reminded her that it was for the baby," Carol replied as Tara just sighed.

Tara wondered how she could keep Maggie from shutting down further. She knew that Maggie would need a lot of time to deal with what had happened, but they also needed to keep their baby healthy.

She held Judith for a few more minutes before handing the baby to Sasha. Carol handed Tara a baggie full of granola bars, pop tarts, and chocolate.

"Try to get Maggie to eat something," Carol was worried about the pregnant woman's health.

Tara took the baggie full of goodies and went up the stairs to her bedroom. She quietly opened the door, her heart dropping when she saw that Maggie was still in bed, crying softly to herself. Tara set the food on the dresser before she rushed to Maggie's side.

Tara put her arms around Maggie, who immediately scrambled into her lap, crying into her plaid shirt. Tara tried to soothe Maggie, rocking her body back and forth gently, holding her tight.

"I'm sorry...I just had a bad dream and all these memories that I tried to forget from that night came rushin' back to me," Maggie sobbed as she held onto Tara, not wanting to let go.

"Shhh...it's ok, baby. I'm here with you. I won't ever let anyone hurt you," Tara promised as Maggie quietly cried, making a spot on her shirt wet.

"I think I'm ready to talk about what happened. I think I might be able to handle this better if I open up about it," Maggie told Tara before she lost her nerve, and decided to keep it to herself indefinitely.

"You want to talk to me or someone else?" Tara wanted to make sure that Maggie was comfortable when she talked about her attack.

"I wanna tell you, Tara. I only trust you with this," Maggie sighed as she rested her head on Tara's shoulder.

"Alright, babe. If it gets to be too much, you can always stop. Just know that you're so strong for doing this," Tara leaned down to place a kiss on Maggie's hair, smelling the sweet scent of lavender.

Tara leaned backwards so that her back was against the headboard with Maggie's weight completely on her body. She didn't know if she was emotionally prepared for what Maggie had to say but Tara knew she needed to be strong.

There were a few minutes of silence before Maggie let out a sad sigh and began to tell Tara about the incident that had changed their lives forever.

"I was in the hospital room waitin' for you to wake up. I had been there for a couple of hours when Carol suggested I go home to get somethin' to eat and get some much needed rest. Y'all know how this pregnancy makes me so tired," Maggie let herself smile as she let her hand wander to her stomach.

"So I decided to head back to the house since I really needed a short nap. I walked there and everythin' seemed normal. I knew you were gonna wake up in a couple of hours, and I couldn't wait for that cuz I missed you so much.

The house was quiet and dark when I got home, but everybody was at the infirmary so I didn't think much of it. I walked into the living room and I knew somethin' wasn't right. I was gonna try to get out of there, but suddenly, I backed up into someone. Before I knew it, they had hit me on the head with somethin' hard.

I fell to the ground, a bit disorientated. When I looked up, I saw that Nicholas was standin' over me. He was rantin' about how you and Daryl were the cause of all his problems, and how everythin' would be revealed. I could see the evil and hate in his eyes...I knew immediately what his intentions were," Maggie could feel the tears start to fall again as the difficult part came closer. She felt Tara's hands stroking her back and side, encouraging her to continue.

"Nicholas unzipped his pants while I begged him to please just leave me alone. I told him that someone could come home in any minute, but that didn't dissuade him. He said he wanted to get his revenge against you and our group. And how he was gonna finish what Aiden had started.

He lowered himself onto me, but I tried to crawl away. That's when he started to hit me so I would cooperate. I scratched him on his arms and on his face, and I hit him back. I really tried to fight back, and call for help. When I did that, he slapped my face a few times.

Nicholas just kept hittin' me all over, he wouldn't stop. When I realized, that he was going to punch me in the stomach, I knew I needed to protect our baby. So I told him I was pregnant and to hit me anywhere but my stomach. He told me to stay still and let him do what he wanted, or he would make sure that I had a painful miscarriage. I was so scared..." Maggie sobbed into Tara's chest, the emotions from that terrifying night came rushing back to her, making the memories replay so clearly in her head.

Tara remained silent during Maggie's story. She could feel a stray tear sliding down her cheek which she quickly wiped away. Tara couldn't imagine what Maggie had been feeling that night. She could feel her body tremble from a combination of anger and sadness, trying hard to keep her own tears at bay.

Maggie knew that this was hard for Tara to listen to. She placed a kiss on Tara's neck before continuing with her story.

"Nicholas pulled down my jeans and I thought he was gonna rape me right then, but then he demanded a blow job. I told him I would never do that...he then called me a slut and said that I was goin' to like what he was goin' to do to me.

He pulled out a condom and put it on. He smacked me a few more times before he penetrated me. I tried to get him off of me, but he was too strong. Nick told me to shut the fuck up and stop cryin'...that I should be enjoyin' this. But I cried and cried, I closed my eyes and tried to shut out what was happenin', but it hurt too much. He was so brutal, and I couldn't stop him.

I tried to cry out for help and I even...I even called for you, Tara. I called so loud for you to come save me even though I knew you were passed out in that hospital bed. I guess a little part of me hoped you would walk through the door and stop the assault.

It seemed like it lasted for hours, but it was over after a few minutes. Nicholas told me I was lucky that he was in a hurry cuz otherwise, he would have raped me over and over. He finally pulled out and yanked his jeans up. Told me that if I said anything, then he would come back and do it again, and kill me," Maggie paused as she wiped some tears away from her eyes, sniffing as the sobs continued.

Tara gripped Maggie's frail body harder, trying her damnedest to keep her own emotions in check. Hearing Maggie's own words on what had happened was literally tearing her apart inside. Maggie wasn't done yet as she told the rest of her story.

"Nicholas then called me a slut and laughed. I felt so humiliated and dirty.

Finally, he turned to leave and told me to not get up for ten minutes or else. I closed my eyes and heard his footsteps walk through the living room and out the door. I just laid there, half naked on the floor, shivering. I wanted to put my jeans on but my body was in so much pain.

I then realized that he took my panties with him, and I just felt even more degraded. I knew I had to get up because I knew Carol would come lookin' for me, and I didn't want her to see me like that. I couldn't get up though so I tried to cover up with my jeans and just cried. I was so afraid that he would come back; I just wanted you there.

Then the door opened, and I panicked because I thought it was Nicholas coming back for more, but it was Rosita and Carol. And well...you know the rest. I just felt so ashamed about everything, like I could have done more to stop it. I felt so used...sometimes I still feel like that.

I feel like you deserve better than someone who has been violated. I'm scared that I've been ruined by this...that I'll always be a victim in your eyes. I know I'll never be the same after this, but maybe you deserve someone not so broken," Maggie cried as she desperately held onto Tara, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. She knew Tara loved her but Tara hadn't signed on for something like this.

Tara pulled Maggie up so that they made eye contact, wiping away the tears that cascaded down Maggie's face. Tara leaned over, placing her lips softly on Maggie's, tasting her tears. She couldn't believe that Maggie thought so low of herself, especially when Tara thought the world of Maggie.

"Don't say stuff like that, Maggie. You aren't ruined, I promise. You're so strong and brave for telling me what happened. You're a survivor, baby. You did what you needed to survive and you protected the baby. Don't put yourself down. Remember when we got married, I promised to be by your side through everything. For better and for worse...we'll get through this, I promise," Tara watched as Maggie cried even harder.

Tara hugged Maggie close to her body, thinking about everything that Maggie had revealed to her. Tara couldn't keep the tears back anymore as she let them fall. The thought of Maggie being hurt so badly was just too much for Tara to bear. Maggie meant the world to her, and for her precious wife to be so brutally violated killed Tara on the inside.

Tara thought about how Maggie had cried for her during the attack. That is what killed her the most...that she wasn't there when Maggie desperately needed her.

The young couple held onto each other as they cried silently together. Tara knew that their long healing process had just begun but she vowed to be by Maggie's side every step of the way. Nothing could ever keep her away from Maggie or their baby.

About an hour later, Maggie began to fall asleep against Tara, feeling at peace for the first time in days. Tara knew that Maggie needed her rest, but she needed her to eat a little first.

"Hey baby, I know you want to sleep but I need you to eat something, please," Tara gently shook Maggie awake.

"I don't feel like it," Maggie complained as she tried to go back to sleep.

"I know, babe. But you need to eat something. Not eating is not healthy for the baby. You want Elizabeth to be healthy, don't you?" Tara asked as Maggie thought about the well-being of their child.

"Alright...I'll eat something real quick for the baby. Then I'm goin' to sleep," Maggie sat up while Tara jumped out of bed and grabbed a couple of granola bars and a bottle of water.

"Here eat this real quick and then you can go back to sleep," Tara watched as Maggie quickly ate the food and drank half the water.

"Now, come here and cuddle with me until I fall asleep. Then you can go downstairs for a bit," Maggie pushed Tara back so that she could lay on her, and enjoy her warmth.

"Well, I'm glad to be your pillow," Tara smiled as Maggie settled into her, covering up with the blanket.

"I love you so much. Thank you for always being there," Maggie whispered, leaning over to give Tara a small kiss.

"I love you, too. No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side," Tara promised as Maggie nuzzled into her chest, listening to the sound of Tara's heartbeat. Maggie closed her eyes, feeling completely safe in Tara's embrace.

A few minutes later, Maggie was in a peaceful slumber. Tara waited until she was completely sure that Maggie was asleep before she slowly got out of bed. She turned on the lamp that stood on the nightstand, keeping the setting on low. Tara leaned over, placing a kiss on Maggie's cheek, her fingers running through Maggie's soft hair.

Tara forced herself to leave Maggie's side before gently closing the door behind her. She made her way down the stairs and into the living room where Rick, Daryl, and Abraham were sitting, looking through the journal that they had found hidden in Aiden's room.

"Maggie alright?" Daryl asked with concern.

"Yeah, she's asleep," Tara answered as she sat down on the couch next to Daryl. She noticed how all three of her friends glanced at her with worried looks.

"What?" Tara asked as Rick sighed.

"Apparently, Aiden and his crew had some plans for Maggie. He wrote down all the details," Rick answered as Tara tore the journal from his hands, looking for the pages in question.

Tara read the sloppy handwriting that put into gory details what the pack had in mind for Maggie. Tara could feel her body tremble with fury as she kept on reading. Daryl immediately noticed how angry Tara was getting with each passing second.

"Hey...maybe you shouldn't read anymore of that," Daryl suggested as Tara threw the book down onto the coffee table. She quickly stood up and paced around the room, beyond pissed that those bastards thought they had a right to hurt Maggie just to get back at her.

"That ain't the only thing we found," Rick revealed as Tara tried to calm down.

"Yeah, apparently, the mystery fuck that Aiden dealt with was a very dangerous man. Accordin' to the journal, he was a serial killer before everythin' turned to shit," Rick replied as Tara gave him a confused look.

"A serial killer? That's some _Criminal Minds_ shit," Tara responded, almost not believing Rick.

"Yeah, he was allegedly tried and put into prison for four rapes and murders. Must have escaped after the turn and found his way to Alexandria. Accordin' to the book, he committed a murder here a few weeks ago, and actively participated in some of the rapes. Fuckin' pervert...I can't wait to get my hands on him," Abraham growled as he made a fist.

"Fuck...this just gets more complicated. We need to find that motherfucker before he tries to go after Maggie or somethin'," Daryl added, wanting to do whatever he could to protect his family.

"Finding this guy will be a fuckin' needle in a haystack," Tara sighed. She wished she could find out who the bastard was so she could kill him herself.

"Maybe not. In the journal, Aiden wrote about how all three of them got matchin' tattoos on their wrists of a cross. We just need to find a guy with that tattoo on his wrist. There's only one tattoo artist in town, we can go talk to him in the mornin', and then talk to Deanna about what we found. I don't care if we need to pound on every door in this fuckin' town, we'll find this fucker tomorrow," Rick said in a determined voice as the others agreed with the plan.

"A matching tattoo? Fuckin' dumb asses," Tara scoffed as Daryl grinned.

"Yeah, apparently it symbolized their pack mentality," Rick shrugged, not sure he wanted to dwell into the minds of a couple of rapists and serial killer.

"So that's the plan for tomorrow. Nothin' else matters except gettin' this sick prick," Abraham announced before he stood up to go to bed. He bid the others goodnight before heading up to the room he shared with Rosita.

Rick followed suit, going up the stairs to tell Michonne and Carol about the plan for the morning. Even though Rick's group technically had two houses to themselves, everyone had opted to stay the night in one house together until their newest threat had been eliminated. Tara and Daryl watched Rick disappear up the stairs before they headed out onto the porch to smoke a quick cigarette.

"So Carol's gonna be gone for a while tomorrow to deliver some casseroles to the elderly, but she shouldn't be gone long. Plus, Eugene'll be here all day. Maggie should be alright," Daryl said while he inhaled some nicotine.

"Hopefully, we find the mystery guy and take him out for good. Deanna is gonna have to agree with us after she reads her son's journal," Tara breathed out some smoke, liking the sweet taste of the nicotine.

"Yeah...I can't wait to put a bullet in that prick's head," Daryl commented as he put out his smoke, crushing the butt with his boot.

They were silent for a few minutes while Daryl pulled out his pack of cigarettes and handed Tara another one which she gladly accepted.

"Maggie told me what happened to her during the attack," Tara revealed as Daryl looked at her, shocked.

"Fuck...I can't imagine hearin' that," Daryl said as Tara felt her eyes water a bit as she remembered Maggie's words. She quickly composed herself, puffing out some smoke.

"It was the hardest thing I have ever had to listen to. Hearing how Maggie had been hurt and treated...God, I don't know if I could handle it again," Tara admitted as Daryl wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Maggie'll be alright in time. She has you after all and the baby to look forward to," Daryl glanced over at Tara who was still quiet. She seemed like she was in her own little world.

"You gonna be ok?" Daryl asked, knowing that his friend was emotionally drained with everything going on.

"Yeah, I will be. Hopefully, we catch this guy tomorrow and not have to worry about this shit anymore," Tara replied as she put out her cigarette.

Daryl and Tara watched the stars in the clear, cool sky for awhile, both of them thinking about what they had to do in the morning. Tara could only hope that they would find the perpetrator and make Alexandria safe once again. She still had an uneasy feeling that things wouldn't be as simple as Rick's plan had made it seem. Tara prayed that Maggie wouldn't be hurt or targeted anymore by all the sick freaks that seemed to live in the community. She had no idea that things would take a turn for the worse in just a few short hours.

* * *

Daryl woke Tara up the next morning and they hit the ground running with Rick, wanting to find the dangerous man who was still hiding within their midst.

Everyone in their family was on high alert in case the dangerous threat came their way. They checked out every guy passing their way that matched the description that Maggie had given, looking for the telltale tattoo on the wrist.

Rick, Tara, and Daryl went to talk to the only tattoo artist in town who distinctly remembered that Aiden, Nicholas, and some other guy had came to his house, wanting matching tattoos.

"Third guy didn't say much to be honest. Didn't even say his name, but he gave me the creeps. Just somethin' wasn't right about him," Rex, the tattoo artist, told the three people gathered in his kitchen.

"Did he have black or dark brown hair? Blue or green eyes? About my height and around 25-30 years old?" Tara asked Rex, who thought it over in his head.

"Yeah! Black hair, cut short. Blue eyes. He was your height, and probably about 26, if I had to guess. He looked like a pretty straight forward kinda dude...no other tattoos or anythin'. He also complained that the needle hurt...fuckin' pussy," Rex commented.

"Anythin' else you can think of?" Rick asked the man who was full of tattoos.

"Nah. He didn't say much and the other two didn't say much about him. I hope you catch that son of a bitch though. I heard what happened to that one girl that works with Deanna. Men like that make me sick," Rex said as he shook hands with his visitors.

"Hey...can I come back in a couple of weeks and get a tattoo?" Tara asked Rex, who vigorously nodded his head.

"Hell yeah! Come by whenever. I can also retouch those tats on your arms," Rex said as he led them to the front door.

"Cool deal. Thanks for all the help," Tara replied as they said their goodbyes.

The trio walked down the stairs and quickly made their way to Deanna's house to tell her everything they had found out about their unknown subject. They had no idea that they were being watched by the man who was the center of their intense manhunt.

* * *

Roger knew that Rick and his group were close to catching him. It was only a matter of hours until they started to knock on every door in town, and he still had a lot of work to do to make sure that he wouldn't be positively identified.

He knew that they had found Aiden's journal. Roger had always told the idiot that writing about their crimes wasn't a bright idea but Aiden argued that it helped him relive the assaults. Now, Deanna and everyone in town would soon know that a dangerous serial killer was loose in their community. Fortunately, they didn't know his true identity and that worked in his favor.

Roger's plan was simple - kill the only person who could positively identify him. He knew that once Maggie took a look at him that all the memories from the party would come rushing back to her. Roger knew he would be killed on the spot if that happened, and not even Deanna would bother saving him.

So Roger had to kill Maggie, and leave town as soon as possible. He was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to take his time with her because the woman was beautiful, and almost like a trophy to him. But Roger would fight his urges, and make it quick. By the time Tara and the others figured out that Maggie was gone, it would be too late.

He would leave Maggie's body in an empty house, and then escape town through the back wall. Roger would then stay away from Alexandria until the heat calmed down a bit. That would give him time to dye his hair blonde, grow a beard, and give himself a few scars. It would also give him plenty of time to burn off that stupid tattoo that Aiden and Nick had insisted that he get.

Roger estimated that two months on his own would be plenty of time for him to be away from Alexandria. Hell, Rick's groups might even be gone by then, which would make things even better. Then, Roger could come back with his changed appearance, and pretend like he had never been to the community before. He was sure he would be able to charm everyone again, and be allowed to stay. Then Roger could resume his sick crimes whenever the right victims came along and no one would be none the wiser.

Roger knew his foolproof plan couldn't fail. He just had to do the hard part first: get Maggie out of that house. He quietly made his way to Maggie's house, cutting through alleyways and backyards so he wouldn't be seen. He had the supply run van parked a few streets away in case he needed it. Roger knew that no one would think twice about seeing the van out and about, thinking that the runners were going out.

He stood behind a bush, watching the happenings of the house. He waited like a wolf stalking its prey, waiting for the right time to strike. The door opened as he watched Carol step out of the house with a bunch of casseroles in her hands. Roger knew now was the time to put his plan into action. He knew that Eugene was the only one home with Maggie, since everyone else was at their job or searching for him.

Roger ran to the van, quietly parking it between the two houses that belonged to Rick's group. From the street the vehicle was almost unnoticeable to the untrained eye, which was exactly how he wanted it. He cautiously went to the other house, knocking on the door to make sure that no one was home. No one answered which confirmed his suspicions.

He took a deep breath as he walked to the front door of Maggie's house. Roger put on his most charming smile as his friendly personality prepared to shine through. He knew that Eugene was a smart man, but he lacked common sense. Roger hoped that everything would go smoothly since he didn't want to hurt Eugene, but would if the spineless man got in his way.

Looking around to make sure that there were no witness out and about on the street, Roger knocked softly on the door. After about a minute, the door opened a crack, Eugene poking his head out.

Eugene had no idea who the guy standing on their front porch was. He looked friendly enough with an easy going, warm smile. The man held his hand out; Eugene looked at it for a second before shaking it. He still kept the door only opened a crack, prepared if the other man tried anything funny.

"Hi! I'm Adam. I'm new to Alexandria and I'm working as Deanna's assistant until her other one comes back but she needs to talk to you. It's urgent. Apparently, more of the solar panels went out and it's effecting the infirmary. But Daryl and Tara are on their way back and should be here in about fifteen minutes. So you can leave now," Roger gave Eugene an infectious smile that put him at ease some.

"I'm not supposed to leave the house until someone gets back," Eugene said as Roger just laughed.

"Like I said, Daryl and Tara are on their way. Deanna said it's very urgent after all," Roger was starting to get impatient.

"Hmmm...alright. I guess it's alright if they're on their way back. I'll go see what Deanna needs real quick then," Eugene finally gave in as Roger jumped for joy on the inside.

"Good. I'll see you there," Roger hopped off the steps and started towards Deanna's house.

When he was certain that Eugene had gone back inside, Roger jumped a couple of fences and waited, watching the front door closely. He watched as Eugene stepped out, locking the door behind him before starting the route to Deanna's house. Roger stayed still, not moving a muscle, until Eugene was out of sight.

Roger burst from his hiding spot, knowing he had to be quick before the others realized what was going on. He ran to the front door, pulling out a key and effortlessly unlocking the lock. That was an advantage of being friends with Aiden. The young man had made sure that Roger had a copy of all the keys in town. It made attacking victims a lot easier on his end.

The door opened slowly as Roger peered around, making sure that no one else was home. The house was quiet as he made his way around, making sure that he didn't bump into anything. Roger reached into his pocket, pulling out a bottle of chloroform and rag. Splashing some of the liquid onto the small towel, he slowly walked up the stairs, making sure not to make any unnecessary noise.

Roger quietly opened every door in the hallway, looking for his ultimate prize. He stopped in front of the master bedroom, the doorknob turning in his hand. The door quietly squeaked open as his eyes spotted Maggie on the bed, sleeping soundly. The predator smiled evilly as he made his way closer to his victim.

Maggie pulled the blanket tighter around her tired body when suddenly, she felt like something wasn't right. Maggie opened her eyes to see a strange man in her bedroom.

"Well, hello there, sweetheart," the man grinned maliciously as Maggie recognized him as the third man from the party.

She immediately sat up, searching for anything that could be used as a weapon against the intruder. Roger rushed to her, pinning her down against the bed.

"Oh no...sweetie. I have some plans for you," Roger placed the rag over Maggie's face.

Maggie struggled against her attacker, trying her hardest to kick Roger away, but he kept a firm hold on her. The last thing Maggie thought about was Tara, hoping she would be able see her again. Then everything went black...

* * *

Meanwhile, Tara was at Deanna's house with Rick and Daryl. They surrounded the older woman's desk as she looked over the journal and listened to Rick explain what the tattoo artist had revealed. Deanna had a serious look on her face as glanced around the room.

"I agree, Rick. We need to find this man today. You can start knocking on doors and interrogating men who fit the description. I will gather some more men to help you and your group with this. We will not rest until this man is caught and dealt with," Deanna said firmly as Daryl raised his eyebrows.

"Dealt with?" Daryl asked in a curious tone.

"Kill him when you figure out who he is. This man is too dangerous to keep alive," Deanna gave the small group in front of her permission to take matters into their own hands.

"I wanna help you guys also," Spencer announced his presence from the doorway.

Rick nodded his head. "Thanks, Spence. We need all the help we can get to capture this sick bastard."

"Alright, so we'll go around the neighborhood. I don't care if we have to search through every goddamn house...we're gonna find this fucker. This ends today," Tara said in a determined voice as her friends agreed.

Suddenly, Eugene strolled into the office as Daryl and Tara stared at him in surprise since he was supposed to be at the house with Maggie. Eugene was just as startled to see his friends in the office since they were supposedly on their way home.

"Eugene! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at the house with Maggie!" Tara exclaimed in a slightly panicked voice. She didn't want Maggie to be by herself until they had caught their mystery man.

"What?! What are y'all doin' here? I thought y'all were on the way home since Deanna needed to talk to me about the solar panels. I mean that's what he said," Eugene innocently replied, unaware of what was going on.

"He? Who's he?" Rick asked as a feeling of dread came over him.

"Deanna's assistant. Said his name was Adam, and that she needed to urgently talk with me. He also said Tara and Daryl were minutes away from home," Eugene answered suddenly aware that the man had been lying.

"When did this happen?" Daryl questioned.

"Just a few minutes ago. He came to the door and knew who I was," Eugene looked around he room, noticing that everyone was worried.

"Ok, Eugene. What did he look like?" Tara could feel her protectiveness over Maggie kick into high gear.

"He had black hair and blue eyes. About your height. Oh...and I noticed a tattoo on his wrist of a cross. You couldn't miss it," Eugene described the man as Tara's body filled with alarm.

Maggie had been left alone and the man who was a self described serial killer had been on their front porch. Adrenaline coursed through Tara's body as she ran out of the office and into the street. She ran as fast as she could to the house, hoping that she wasn't too late. Daryl, Rick, and Spencer were right behind her as they figured out that Maggie was in grave danger.

Finally, after a few minutes, Tara ran up the porch stairs to her house. She tried the front door but it was locked. Tara grew frustrated since she didn't have a key and time was being wasted. The others finally caught up to her just in time to see Tara kick open the front door, not caring about any damage that may have been caused.

"Maggie!" Tara yelled as she ran up the stairs to their bedroom with her friends following close behind.

Tara burst into the room which was empty. There were obvious signs of a struggle which meant that Maggie had put up some kind of fight.

"Shit!" Daryl cursed as he ran into the empty room.

Tara couldn't believe that Maggie was gone. Kidnapped. Her girl was in clutches of a sick bastard, and Tara had no idea where she was. Tara fell to her knees, trying to keep her emotions in check, but failing miserably. She had failed once again at protecting the love of her life, but this time the cost could be deadly.

"I wasn't here to protect her again," Tara cursed herself as she tried to keep her composure, her body shaking slightly.

Daryl knelt down next to Tara, noticing that some tears were escaping from her eyes. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, which trembled with unleashed anger.

"Hey...we're gonna find her. We're gonna kill that fucker, and we're gonna find her safe," Daryl tried to get Tara to stand up, but she remained on the floor.

"I'm gonna get the rest of your group and round up some men for a search party. No house will be left unsearched," Spencer promised before he ran as fast as he could to get the rest of Rick's group.

Rick knelt down next to Tara. "Come on, Tara! You just sittin' here, blamin' yourself won't get Maggie and your baby back. Let's find this son of a bitch and make him pay. Let's go find Maggie."

Tara nodded before she stood up, tears dried, determination written all over her face. Her muscles trembled with all the adrenaline that was running through her body.

"When we find this fucker...he's mine," Tara threatened as Daryl and Rick caught sight of the intensity in her dark eyes.

"Let's find this piece of shit," Daryl muttered as they ran down the stairs, knowing that time was not on their side.

On the front lawn, the rest of Team Family and others from the community waited for instructions from Rick and Tara before embarking on the long search for Maggie and her kidnapper. Tara pounded on door after door, searching through every house, but coming up empty. She grew more frustrated as the minutes ticked on, knowing she was running out of time. Day soon turned into night as news about the kidnapping spread throughout the community.

"Hey...you and Daryl should go check out the empty houses towards the back of the community. All the doors should be unlocked. He might think that's a perfect place to lay low," Spencer suggested before he and Rick disappeared inside a house to investigate.

There were over fifty people looking for Maggie, but so far nothing had turned up. Tara and Daryl headed to the empty houses which stood dark and quiet. They shined their flashlights on the numbers of the pristine houses, before raising up their guns.

"Evens or odds first?" Daryl asked as Tara ran to the first house on the street.

"Evens," Tara simply answered as she opened the door which had the number 402 written on it.

Daryl and Tara continued to search through house after house, not knowing that they were slowly getting closer to Maggie and a killer who was slowly becoming more unhinged as the seconds ticked by.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the house labeled with the number 424, Maggie slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the tiredness that seemed to plague her since the attack. She realized that she was in some unfamiliar room, tied up, and on the dirty floor. Maggie tried to work against her restraints but the knots were too tight.

Suddenly, she heard a door open and heavy footsteps come down the wooden stairs. The mystery man from the party stood on the last step, a grin across his face.

"Well...you're awake. I was afraid that I was gonna have to get started without you, darling. It's almost time to get this party started. My name's Roger by the way, but don't worry, you'll be dead soon enough," Roger said in a calm voice.

"Tara will find me, you sick bastard," Maggie tried to hide the fear in her voice.

Roger just laughed. "I have no doubt that she'll find you but it will be too late when they do. You should see it. They are turnin' this town upside down lookin' for you. I'm just disappointed that I won't get to take my time with you...you sure do look delicious."

Maggie remained silent, trying to put on a brave facade. Roger knelt down next to her, moving some hair out of her face. She tried to shrink back from his touch which felt unnatural against her soft skin.

"You know the male population outnumbers the female one now? Funny, huh? It used to be the other way around, but this apocalypse has been cruel to women. In the beginning, men took advantage of them, rapin' and killin' them. They died protectin' children. Children died. You got lucky bein' in a group that values its women. I've seen a lot of groups where women are thought of less than dirt. So you should feel lucky for making it this far," Roger grinned like he was doing Maggie some kind of favor.

"Go to hell," Maggie muttered as Roger just laughed.

"You're feisty...I like that. Means you might put up some kind of fight. It's always more fun when they put up a fight. I know you'll put up a hell of a fight to save your unborn child," Roger said as Maggie looked at him with surprise.

"Yes. I know you're pregnant and I'm sorry about doin' this but Aiden and Nick left me no choice. I don't usually go after women who are knocked up since I'm very pro-life when it comes to the unborn. I voted Republican last election and even protested against Planned Parenthood once. So I'm sorry but this has to be done. Plus, I need to feel that rush again," Roger made a move to grab at Maggie.

Maggie quickly got to her feet, surprising Roger. He scrambled to grab her but not before she delivered a hard kick to his groin, bringing him down to his knees momentarily.

"You fuckin' bitch! I'm gonna make you pay for that, you slut!" Roger shouted as he forced Maggie against the wall, hands around her neck.

"Let's see how much fun this will be..." Roger sneered as Maggie struggled against him, fighting for her life.

* * *

Tara and Daryl met on the sidewalk after quickly inspecting the empty houses. Daryl shook his head indicating that he had found nothing.

"We just have two left on this street and then we can hit the odd numbers. You take 422. I'll take 424. Remember, if one of us doesn't come out after a few minutes, come in as back up," Tara instructed as she unholstered her gun again, flashing her flashlight on the houses.

"Alright. Be careful," Daryl ran to his assigned house, flashlight shining in the dark night.

Tara opened the front door to house 424. At first, it was quiet as she looked around the living room and kitchen. Suddenly, there was a loud thud and shouting coming from the basement. Tara was positive that she heard a scream that sounded like Maggie.

Tara felt her adrenaline kick start as she ran as fast as she could to the basement. She could only hope that she would make it time to save the love of her life...

* * *

Sorry...I kinda went Criminal Minds on y'all but that's what happens when you binge watch that show lol. But ok...what a sicko Roger is! Will Tara make it in time to save Maggie? Poor Maggie, just when she was startin' to cope, then this happens. Hopefully, all of this doesn't break her even more and she remains strong. And of course, Alexandria's first major threat is still on its way. Will all of Team Family survive?

This chapter's song is "A Beautiful Lie" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.

But thank you all for your lovely reviews! You guys always know how to make a gal feel special. I would definitely hug each of you if I could. Anyways, thanks for reading and all the love. Look for my other story to be updated next week. :)


	26. Just a Game

Tara ran as fast as she could to the basement door. She turned the door knob in her hand, but found that it was locked. She let out a frustrated sigh, knowing she didn't have time for this.

She kicked the door open, rushing through the broken wood and hurriedly running down the stairs. Tara could barely believe what was waiting for her in the basement.

A low light was on, lighting the room in a soft glow, illuminating some boxes that were stacked up against a wall. Tara looked over at the opposite side of the room, and saw a man who fit the description of the bastard the whole town had been looking for.

Up against the wall was her precious Maggie in the fight of her life. The man's hands were around Maggie's neck, trying to strangle her to death. Maggie was putting up a struggle, trying to get out of the monster's grasp.

Tara pulled out her gun, cocking it to take a shot, but realized in the position that Maggie and the man were in, that her wife was at risk for getting hurt. She hoped Daryl was on his way because she had a feeling that this wouldn't end well.

"Let her go...now," Tara said in a voice that left no room for arguing.

The man stopped what he was doing, clearly surprised that someone else was in the room. He had been so engrossed in the moment that he hasn't heard the door being busted open or the footsteps coming down the stairs. Roger turned to the see Tara pointing a gun at him, he loosened his hands that were around Maggie's neck.

Maggie immediately took a deep breath, almost not believing that she was still alive. Roger let Maggie fall to the ground in a coughing fit as he turned to face Tara.

Tara glanced briefly at Maggie who grabbed at her neck, still trying to catch up on her breathing. Tara wanted nothing more than to see if Maggie was alright, but she had to take care of this bastard first. Roger grinned when he saw how concerned Tara was for her wife. He figured that Tara's weakness would make it easier to kill her.

Roger pulled out a gun that he was hiding in the waistband of his jeans, causally swinging it around. He placed himself in front of Maggie, who was still weak on the floor, pointing the gun at her. Tara kept her weapon trained on the man in front of her.

"So we finally meet. I'm Roger by the way. You know, I never knew why Aiden and Nicholas hated you so much. I don't blame you for wantin' to kill them. Those two were too cocky for their own good. They annoyed the hell out of me," Roger said as his finger played with the trigger on his gun.

"Now, I'm going to kill you," Tara threatened, the gun steady in her hands.

"You make a move to shoot and I will shoot Maggie in the head killin' not only her but your unborn child. So the choice is yours," Roger placed the muzzle of his gun against Maggie's head to emphasize his threat.

Tara knew that she had to get Maggie out of this dangerous situation and fast. Roger looked like he was beginning to unravel, knowing that he wouldn't be leaving the basement alive, no matter what happened. She wanted to take a shot but knew she couldn't put Maggie or the baby's life at risk. Tara knew she needed to act fast to save Maggie.

Tara knew that Roger was a narcissistic bastard who thought he could do no wrong. She knew she would have to give into his huge ego to get Maggie out of that basement and up to safety.

"Listen. Aiden and Nicholas hated me so much that they apparently wanted to hurt Maggie to get back at me. But right now, you have the opportunity to do something they never had the balls to do - kill me. You can show everyone just how deadly you are, but you have to let Maggie go. She's innocent in all of this...it's me you really want," Tara tried to reason with Roger as he listened.

"Go on..." Roger prompted. In his sick mind, he thought his legacy would definitely live on if he killed Tara. He would be able to accomplish something Nick and Aiden had only dreamed of.

Tara could see that she was peaking his interest. "I'll even make it easy. I'll put my gun down so you can just shoot me before everyone figures out where we are. But you have to let Maggie go first."

"Fine. I can do that," Roger smiled cruelly as he forced Maggie up, and pushed her roughly towards Tara.

Maggie landed in Tara's arms, clinging desperately to her shirt, not wanting to let go. Tara held her close for a few seconds before forcing herself to gently push Maggie away, towards the stairs.

"No...I can't leave you here! I need you!" Maggie pleaded as tears ran down her face.

"Baby, no matter what happens you'll be ok. You have the family, and you'll be alright, I promise. But you need to leave now. Go up those stairs, get out of this house and find Daryl. Do this for our baby. You know I love you more than anything," Tara tried to comfort Maggie as Roger looked in impatiently.

"Hurry up before I kill that bitch too," Roger growled while Tara glared at him.

"Go on, Maggie...go," Tara gently pushed Maggie towards the steps. Maggie took one last look at Tara, trying to memorize everything about her.

"Go...be sure to take care of our baby, alright? No matter what happens, just know that I love you," Tara watched as Maggie nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Tara kept her emotions in check, even though she could feel her eyes start to water at how distraught Maggie looked. Finally, Maggie ran up the stairs and out the basement door, yelling for Daryl.

"Well, finally. I never was one for long goodbyes," Roger laughed as Tara narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to make a move.

"So put your gun down so we can get this over with before your friends try to ruin my moment of glory," Roger demanded as he pointed his weapon towards Tara.

Tara slowly set her gun on the ground, but what Roger didn't know was that she had another pistol hidden in the waistband of her jeans. She was just waiting for the right moment to give the bastard a taste of his own medicine.

Roger continued to point his gun at her. "I'm sorry that Maggie will be a single mother, but I'm sure she'll take good care of your kid. Way better than my own mother...that bitch never cared about me. Cared more about the men in her life...fuckin' bitch."

Tara kept her eyes on Roger, watching his every move, knowing she needed to do something soon or she was going to be a goner. Roger waved his gun around as he ranted on and on about his mother and how it was her fault that he was the monster that he was today.

Roger suddenly aimed the gun at Tara, pointing it directly at her heart.

"Any last words?" Roger asked as his finger was ready to pull the trigger.

"Fuck you. You really think you're gonna get away with this?" Tara simply said, readying herself to grab her hidden gun.

"I don't care if I die today...as long as I kill you first and do what those two idiots couldn't," Roger grinned evilly, ready to fire a shot.

Suddenly, they both heard a lot of commotion on the first floor indicating that Daryl was on his way into the basement. Tara hoped that he would make it in time, but she wasn't too optimistic. Roger became alarmed, knowing that it was now or never.

Roger raised his gun towards Tara, pointing it directly at her chest, wanting to kill her instantly.

"See you in hell," Roger soberly said as he pulled the trigger. The shot was deafening as the bullet left the barrel of the gun.

Tara jumped out of the way as the bullet penetrated the wall behind her, she quickly pulled out her gun, aiming it at Roger. He was alarmed when he realized that she had another hidden weapon. They both stood in the basement, guns raised at one another.

There was an intense stare off between the two. The footsteps upstairs were getting closer to the basement door, both knowing that someone else would soon be in that basement.

Roger didn't waste a second as he pulled the trigger. Tara shot her gun at the same time as Roger. The bullet from Tara's gun hit him square in the chest as he fell to the ground, clutching his heart. Roger died almost instantly, taking his last breath, blood seeping into his shirt.

Tara fell to the floor, not sure if she had been hit by a bullet or not since her body was pumped with adrenaline, pain temporarily blocked for a couple of minutes. Tara could feel her breathing start to weaken just a bit.

Daryl ran down the steps as quick as his feet could carry him, not sure what would be waiting for him. He had heard the sound of gunfire and knew that Tara might be dead when he arrived on the scene. He prayed to whatever god there was that his best friend would be alright when he finally reached her.

He finally reached the bottom of the stairs, surveying the room before him. Daryl spotted a man's lifeless body in the middle of the room. Daryl looked him over briefly, noting that his appearance matched the suspect they had been looking for. He kicked him slightly to make sure that the man was indeed dead.

Daryl frantically looked around the dark room, searching for Tara. He finally spotted her in a corner of the room. Daryl rushed to where Tara was laying, trying frantically to see if she had gotten hit by a bullet.

He patted his friend down, trying to feel for any blood. Tara suddenly sat up, leaning against the wall behind her.

"Geez...you can at least buy me dinner first," Tara weakly joked while Daryl kept a serious look on his face.

"Did you get hit?" Daryl frantically asked.

Tara shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I almost did, but I got out of the way."

Daryl fiercely hugged Tara so relieved that she was alright and not gravely injured or dead. Tara heard other people rushing down the stairs, looking up to see Rick and Abraham running down the wooden steps.

"Are you alright?" Rick asked as he flashed his flashlight on the friends who were still hugging.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I killed that fucker though. He had his hands around Maggie's neck when I ran in here," Tara said while Daryl helped her stand up.

Rick glanced over at the body that was on the ground. "Yeah, no one's gonna blame you for doin' that."

"Where's Maggie?" Tara questioned. She just wanted to see Maggie and make sure that she and the baby were alright.

"She fainted from all the stress and everythin' that was goin' on. Carol, Rosita, and Spencer took her to the infirmary," Abraham answered as he kicked Roger's lifeless body.

"Sick motherfucker," Abraham growled under his breath.

"Maggie fainted?!" Tara asked in alarm as Rick nodded his head.

"You go and be with her. We'll take care of everything here," Rick gently pushed Tara towards the stairs so she could be with her wife.

Tara didn't need to be told twice. She immediately ran up the basement stairs and into the house where a small crowd was gathering. The people all quickly moved out of her way as she ran out of the house and into the cool night. Tara ran as fast as she could through the streets leading towards the infirmary.

When she finally arrived at her destination, Tara threw the doors open, stumbling into the clean, white building. She looked around until she spotted Nicole who was heading her way.

"Nicole! Do you know where Maggie is?" Tara asked, almost running into the smaller woman.

"Yeah, she's over here. Come on!" Nicole guided Tara down a couple of halls until they ended up in front of a closed door.

"Dr. Fields was just in here a few minutes ago. She said the baby should be fine, but Maggie needs to eat more and not be so stressed out, which is hard considerin' what she has been through. But we're gonna keep her overnight. Oh and she still hasn't woken up yet," Nicole explained as she opened the door.

Tara walked into the room to find Carol and Rosita sitting in chairs by Maggie's bed. When they caught sight of Tara, both women immediately rushed up to her, throwing their arms around her body in a big hug.

"We were so worried about you and didn't know if you got hurt or not. Thank God you're alright," Carol smiled as she gave Tara a kiss on the cheek.

"How's Maggie?" Tara asked as Rosita also gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"She fainted when we heard those gun shots. She just kinda lost it and got so distraught that it was too much for her body to handle. I think she thought you got shot," Rosita recalled what happened at the scene just a few minutes ago.

"Then Spencer scooped her up and we followed him to the infirmary where Dr. Fields did a quick check up on her. The doc said she'll do a more thorough examination when Maggie wakes up," Rosita finished explaining as Tara glanced over at Maggie.

Maggie looked so small and weak in that hospital bed. Tara leaned down to give Maggie a quick kiss on her lips, letting her fingers run through Maggie's soft hair. She couldn't imagine what Maggie must have been going through when the sound of gunfire went off. Tara just hoped that she would wake up soon.

Tara sat down in a chair next to Maggie's bed, knowing that she was going to be there all night. She definitely wasn't going to leave her wife's side. Tara noticed the dark bruises that were forming on Maggie's neck from where Roger had tried to strangle her.

She sighed, taking Maggie's hand into her own. Carol and Rosita excused themselves from the room so they could get some sleep and rest up. Plus, they both knew that Tara wanted to be alone with Maggie for a little while.

"Let us know if you need anything. We'll see you tomorrow when Maggie's able to come home," Carol gave Tara another kiss on the cheek before she and Rosita left the room, closing the door quietly behind them.

Tara sighed again as she laid her head on Maggie's bed for a brief minute. She reached out and placed her hand on Maggie's stomach, hoping that their baby was alright. Maggie had been through so much over the past few days, Tara was surprised that she hadn't had a miscarriage.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been taking good care of your mother lately, Peanut. I really am sorry. Just know that I love you both so much, and would do anything for y'all," Tara whispered to the baby that was snuggled safely in Maggie's womb.

Tara sat up to look at Maggie, who still had her eyes closed. She gently ran her fingertips over the bruises that Maggie still had on her face from the attack from Nicholas. Tara remembered all the details that Maggie had told her about, and felt her emotions get the best of her.

She realized that she could have lost Maggie that night. Tara let a few tears fall as she thought about how useless her life would be without Maggie. How empty her life would be without the love of her life. Tara didn't think she could go on if anything ever happened to Maggie.

"I love you so much, Maggie. I promise to always be here for you no matter what. You're my angel," Tara rested her head on Maggie's stomach, wanting a connection to not only her wife but the baby also.

Tara closed her eyes, thinking about about how so far Alexandria had been nothing but trouble for the group. The community was supposed to be their safe haven from the outside world, but so far the dangers were well within the walls.

Before she knew it, Tara fell asleep, her head nestled on Maggie's stomach, her hand holding Maggie's, never wanting to let go.

* * *

Maggie slowly opened her eyes a couple of hours later, the events from the night rushing back to her in a frenzy. She grabbed at her neck, remembering how Roger's hands had been gripped tightly around her throat, trying to kill her. She remembered Tara saving her at the last minute, and taking her place in the basement.

Tara. Maggie began to panic when she recalled the gunshots that came from inside the house. She didn't know if Tara had been hurt or killed. All she remembered was crying out for Tara, her body going into some kind of shock, and everything turning into blackness.

Maggie sat up slightly, feeling for the first time that there was some extra weight on her body. She gazed around the room, realizing that she was in the infirmary with its clean, white walls and floors. A lamp on the side of her bed was on low, emitting a glow in the dark room.

She looked down and saw Tara sound asleep, head on her stomach. Maggie couldn't stop the tears that started to fall from her eyes at the sight of Tara, safe and alive. She had really believed that Tara wouldn't make it out of that house in one piece.

Maggie let her fingers run through Tara's hair, almost not believing that she was here in the room with her. Maggie's body shook with sobs when she remembered everything that had taken place. Her soft cries woke Tara up from her slumber.

Tara sat up straight in her chair, glancing over at Maggie who had tears streaming down her gorgeous face.

"Hey baby, it's ok. I'm here," Tara leaned over, gently wiping the tears away from Maggie's face.

Maggie threw her arms around Tara's shoulders, holding her close. Maggie felt herself practically melt in Tara's arms, feeling safe once again.

"I was so scared that you were gone. I couldn't even breathe when I heard those gunshots. I was so scared, Tara. All that went through my mind was that I wouldn't ever see you alive again and I would be all alone," Maggie sobbed as Tara climbed into the bed with her.

Maggie moved so that her whole body was on top of Tara's, gripping her shirt like a lifeline. Tara closed her eyes for a brief moment, savoring the feel of having Maggie in her arms once again, never wanting to take that feeling for granted. It hurt her to know how scared Maggie had been for her well-being.

"I'm here, Maggie. I was so scared that I was going to lose you. When I saw him hurting you like that...I nearly died inside. You have no idea how much I love and need you, babe. You mean the world to me," Tara whispered softly as Maggie continued to cry.

"And I'm sorry that I let you get hurt again. I'm supposed to protect you and the baby, and I keep failing. I'm so sorry, babe. I promise that no one's gonna hurt you...I would die protecting you and our baby," Tara sighed as she told Maggie what she couldn't get out of her mind.

Tara was supposed to keep her family safe, but so far Maggie kept getting hurt on her watch. Tara felt like such a failure, feeling like she kept breaking the promise she made to Glenn that night that felt so long ago.

Maggie sat up slightly, looking down at Tara. She then leaned forward, capturing Tara's lips in a passionate kiss.

"You're not a failure. You practically almost gave up your life for me and the baby. We're so lucky to have you. I love you so much, Tara. I don't ever want to be without you," Maggie softly said as she gave Tara another kiss.

"I love you too, Maggie," Tara whispered as Maggie snuggled into her again, closing her eyes.

Tara felt Maggie's breathing even out as she fell asleep. Tara kept a protective watch over Maggie, thinking about how her wife's progress had been set back because of Roger. She could only hope that Maggie would continue to open up to her and allow herself to heal. Tara knew that somehow they would get past this incident. Tara held Maggie close as she finally fell asleep, her hand resting comfortably on her wife's stomach, letting Peanut know that she was there.

* * *

About three weeks passed by without much incident in Alexandria. The residents were still weary of the newcomers, knowing that Rick's group had killed a couple of ruthless men. Although, most of the townspeople were grateful that such dangerous people had been taken care of. The inhabitants mostly went about their daily lives, never knowing what dangers were still lurking outside the safety of the walls.

Tara arrived back into Alexandria with Daryl. They had both just gotten back from a supply run into a town about forty miles away to get whatever supplies and food they could salvage. So far they were the only runners on the team since no one else volunteered, but Tara didn't blame anybody. It was a dangerous job that only a few could handle.

The first two weeks after the whole Roger incident had been the hardest. Tara barely left Maggie's side during that time, her protection mode on full blast. Maggie barely left their bedroom, still trying to handle and cope with what had been done to her by Roger and Nicholas.

The couple were grateful that their baby seemed to be doing alright after all the trauma Maggie had been through. Dr. Fields had done a couple of thorough examinations on Maggie and determined that the baby was healthy as long as its mother took care of herself. The young couple were both relieved to hear the news, both of them secretly fearing for the worse.

Maggie tried to take better care of herself by taking prenatal vitamins and eating more, even though all she wanted to do was lay in bed most of the time. Maggie also noticed that her baby bump grew a bit, and was a lot more noticeable now. This made her excited about the baby, helping in her road to recovery.

Deanna had visited Maggie a few times, reassuring her to take all the time she needed before she came back to work. The family did everything they could to make Maggie more comfortable, especially after Tara had to go back to doing supply runs. Carol and Rosita always made sure that Maggie was never left alone, knowing that made the young woman feel anxious.

So far everyone was adjusting to what had happened to a valued member of their family and being part of a community. Although, Rick still had his concerns that Alexandria was not prepared in case of an attack or emergency. Rick also kept an eye on Jessie and her husband, Pete. So far Pete had not acted out or left any evidence that he was abusing his wife. Carol had tried to get Jessie to talk but to no avail. So Rick dropped the subject of killing Pete for now since their family was going through so much at the moment.

Tara made her way through the town after dropping off what she and Daryl had found at the pantry. Of course, she kept the chocolate candy bars she had discovered for Maggie. A few of the townspeople waved to her, though most eyed her suspiciously. Tara had become used to the stares since everyone found out that she had killed both Nicholas and Roger. They were scared of her for the most part, but Tara didn't mind. It meant that everyone knew what the consequences were if they decided to mess with her family.

Tara continued walking down the street, hands in her pockets. She was still coping with what had happened to her precious Maggie. There had been one night a couple of days after the whole Roger incident that had been particularly bad...

* * *

_That night Tara had seen how distraught and broken Maggie was over everything that had happened. All the feelings that Maggie had tried to keep to herself, boiled over into a meltdown. Maggie had cried for hours, feeling so victimized and used. Nothing that Tara had done seemed to comfort or help her.  
_

_"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be this weak..." Maggie started before Tara interrupted her._

_"You're not weak, babe. You just went through things that would break most people. You definitely aren't weak," Tara tried to soothe Maggie while trying to avoid having her own breakdown._

_Seeing Maggie distressed and in pain was too hard for Tara to handle. She knew she needed to get out of that room that seemed so suffocating to her. Maggie was crying into her shirt which had a huge wet spot from Maggie's countless tears._

_Tara felt like it was her fault that Maggie had been victimized in the first place. She hadn't been there when Maggie needed her the most. Tara hadn't been able to keep the one person who meant the world to her safe. It made her doubt her abilities to keep Maggie and their baby out of harm's way. Tara felt like she had let Glenn down on keeping their girl safe._

_She gently extracted herself from Maggie's grasp. Maggie looked at her confused, wiping her tears away._

_"Where are you goin'? Don't leave me here!" Maggie pleaded to Tara, trying to pull her back onto the bed._

_"I need to get out of here. I need some fresh air, but I promise I'll be back. I'll send Carol and Rosita up here," Tara said as she made her way to the door, trying to avoid the crushing look that Maggie was giving her._

_"Remember what I told you before...I'll give you an out if you want one," Maggie cried, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth._

_Tara didn't say anything as she left the room, closing the door behind her. Maggie took that as a sign that Tara was seriously considering leaving her, not that she could blame her. Tara hadn't signed on for any of this. Maggie continued to let her tears fall, not sure if Tara would be coming back to their bed._

_Tara made her way downstairs where everyone looked up as she made her way into the living room._

_"You alright?" Abraham asked with concern._

_"I'm fine. Carol and Rosita, can you guys keep an eye on Maggie? I need to get out of here for a little bit," Tara asked as she made her way to the liquor cabinet._

_They all watched as she grabbed a bottle of Crowne and proceeded to head out the front door._

_"Where are you going? And with that?" Abraham asked as he stood up, not sure if he should let Tara leave._

_"Out. Please just watch over Maggie," Tara glared at Abraham as she stepped past him and headed out the door._

_"If you aren't back in a couple of hours, we'll get Rick and Daryl involved in whatever you're doing!" Carol called after Tara who was busy walking away from the house._

_Carol was worried about Tara, knowing that she hadn't been in her best mindset these past couple of days. Carol had tried to talk to the younger woman about what had happened to Maggie but Tara preferred to keep her emotions to herself. Daryl suggested that Carol back down a bit, and Tara would talk when she was ready._

_Now, it seemed like Tara was trying to cope with alcohol and they all knew Tara could be a bit unpredictable when she was drunk. Carol told Rosita to stay with Maggie while she tried to find Daryl and Rick, who were on guard duty that night._

_Meanwhile, Tara had just wanted to forget everything for a little while so she grabbed the bottle of Crowne and started taking drink after drink. One drink turned into five which turned into ten. Soon, Tara realized that she had drank almost half the bottle, and she could feel the drunkenness take over. She made her way to the only person she wanted to talk to right at that moment._

_Tara knocked on the front door of a house, taking a few more drinks while she waited for someone to answer. A couple of minutes later, the lock on the door turned as Nicole was surprised to see a very drunk Tara on her front porch._

_"Hey...Nicole. I can't be at my house right now, and I didn't know where else to go. Maggie keeps cryin' and I can't even keep her safe. That's my job and I can't even do that..." Tara slurred as she stumbled into a chair that was on the front porch._

_Nicole watched as Tara took a few more drinks of the dark liquor. She sat down in the chair next to Tara, placing her hand on Tara's knee._

_"You're more than welcomed to stay here, but this isn't your fault, you know? I know you feel like it is cuz Maggie got hurt, but it's not. You killed the people who hurt her, and made this place safer. You're a hero," Nicole said as she rubbed Tara's knee._

_Tara stared at Nicole for a few minutes, trying to let what she had said sink in. Tara's head was spinning with how drunk she was. She knew she wasn't thinking clearly as she leaned over, kissing Nicole._

_Nicole immediately broke the kiss, knowing that Tara was extremely intoxicated and emotional. Plus, she didn't feel right knowing that Maggie was waiting for Tara back home. She knew Maggie was a great girl who didn't deserve all the bad things that had happened to her._

_Nicole saw the confused look on Tara's face. "Hey...none of that. You can't do that to Maggie. I know you're hurtin' and you're really, really drunk but no. That's not the way to cope with everythin'. Understand?"_

_"Yeah, I'm sorry," Tara mumbled as she took another drink of Crowne._

_Just then Nicole saw Daryl and Rick coming up the street, obviously looking for their friend. She made her way down the porch, catching their attention._

_"Tara's on my front porch, and she's really wasted," Nicole informed the two men who just sighed._

_"Thanks for keepin' her out of trouble," Daryl gratefully said to Nicole as he made his way to Tara._

_Nicole decided not tell the men about the kiss since it had been a big mistake. Plus, she figured Tara wouldn't remember it the next morning with how drunk she was. So Nicole decided to keep it a secret._

_Daryl found Tara with an almost empty bottle of Crowne, crying to herself. He knelt down beside her, knowing that he was witnessing a breakdown of some sorts._

_"Hey...come on. Let's getcha outta here. Spencer gave me some keys to an empty house, we can settle there for the night. No need for the whole house to see ya like this," Daryl put his hand on Tara's shoulder trying to steady her. He figured that she was so lit up that she would fall out of the chair if he didn't help her._

_Tara looked at her best friend with tears in her eyes. "Daryl...I didn't protect her. I didn't protect Maggie from everything. That's my job. She depends on me and I couldn't even do that. Glenn would have made sure nothin' happened to her."_

_Daryl could see that Tara was beyond distraught, crying silently to herself. He knew that she wasn't thinking clearly and could barely understand what she was slurring about. Daryl knew he needed to get Tara to bed so she could sleep off her drunkenness. Then he would have a serious talk to her about how much Maggie needed her to be strong in this trying time._

_"Alright, come on," Daryl helped Tara stand up, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to steady her._

_Tara slowly hobbled down the stairs, still talking about how she failed as a protector and how Maggie deserved better. Rick helped support Tara's other side as they helped her walk down the driveway._

_"Thank you for everything, Nicole." Rick thanked the young woman as he continued to walk with Daryl, helping Tara get to the empty house._

_Nicole watched as the trio made their way down the sidewalk. She hoped that Tara would be alright and that her relationship with Maggie would remain solid. She didn't think Tara could handle losing Maggie._

_Daryl and Rick finally made it to the empty house with Tara, who was still slurring her words, and making no sense. They gently laid Tara on the couch where she passed out in less than a few seconds after her head hit the pillow._

_"You ok to stay with her?" Rick asked Daryl, who nodded in response._

_"Yeah, I'll give her a talkin' to when she wakes up. She can't be gettin' shitfaced when Maggie needs her," Daryl said as he covered Tara with a blanket._

_Rick said his goodbyes before taking one last look at Tara, and leaving the empty house. Daryl kept watch over Tara, making sure that she was alright until he finally fell asleep in the chair next to the couch._

_The next morning, Tara was suddenly woken up by a bucket of ice cold water splashing on her face. She coughed a few times, spitting out water._

_"What the fuck?" Tara yelled out in surprise as she sat up. She was confused when she realized that she was in an unfamiliar house._

_"Where the hell am I? Where's Maggie?" Tara asked confused as she looked around. She saw Daryl standing over her with a bucket in his hand._

_"You awake? You remember last night?" Daryl asked in a voice that was too loud._

_The hangover hit Tara hard, her head practically splitting in two. Suddenly, the sunlight was too bright and Daryl was definitely yelling too much and too loud._

_"I remember leaving the house and drinking a little. After that...it's a blur," Tara held her head, which was pounding in pain._

_"Yeah...ya got really fuckin' wasted last night. You drank a whole bottle of Crowne. Was out wanderin' in the streets, blabberin' 'bout not bein' able to protect Maggie, and whatever else," Daryl informed her as Tara tried to remember those events but came up empty._

_Daryl sat down in the chair next to the couch, ready to give Tara some advice._

_"Listen, last night could have gone bad if Rick and I hadn't found ya. You can't be doin' that shit. You have any idea how worried Maggie was? She thinks that ya took off and split on her and the baby. It took Carol forever to get her to sleep," Daryl explained as Tara felt guilt wash over her._

_"I just needed to clear my head. I kinda went overboard with the booze though," Tara admitted as Daryl handed her a few aspirins and a bottle of water._

_She readily took the medicine as Daryl continued. "You can't be usin' liquor to forget your problems like that. Ya keep that shit up, then you and Maggie won't make it. You need to be there for her. She needs you...she doesn't blame you for what happened. No one does. We all know you would do anythin' for Maggie. So don't blame yourself. Man up."_

_Tara let Daryl's words sink in, knowing that she had to be better for Maggie. They had to get through this together, and become stronger._

_"You're right, man. I need to not be so stupid. I need Maggie and she needs me. I'm not gonna fuck up anymore," Tara said in a determined voice as she sat up and made her way to the front door of the house with Daryl in tow._

_"Yeah! That's my Tara!" Daryl laughed as they quickly made their way back home._

_Tara ran into the house, barely taking notice of everyone in the kitchen. She immediately went up the stairs, and quietly opened the door to her bedroom. Maggie was sound asleep, snuggled alone in the bed. Tara gently crawled into bed, pulling Maggie close to her._

_Maggie woke up, feeling Tara's warmth all around her. She opened her eyes, taking in Tara's appearance, seeing that her hair was damp._

_"What happened last night? I thought you really left me," Maggie said sadly as Tara shook her head._

_"No, baby. You know I would never leave you. I was just being stupid and got drunk...like really, really shitfaced. But Daryl found me and I woke up in an empty house with him. He threw a bucket of water on me to wake me up," Tara explained while Maggie let out a little giggle at the thought of her special wake up call._

_Tara loved the sound of Maggie's laughter, knowing she would do anything to keep her safe. Tara placed a kiss on Maggie's hair before continuing._

_"I'm never gonna leave you like that again, I promise. You and the baby are my world and I'm gonna do whatever I can to keep y'all safe. I love you so much, Maggie. We'll get through this together, I promise," Tara held Maggie close, basking in the feel of having her near again._

_Tara knew in that moment that her and Maggie would be alright after they were allowed time to heal. It would be a long road, but she knew they would get through it._

* * *

Tara's thoughts were interrupted by the front door of the house opening and Carol greeting her with a huge hug.

"How did the supply run go?" Carol asked with a big smile.

"It went alright. Daryl should be back soon, but I found some candy bars for Maggie. I know how her cravings can get," Tara showed her friend the few chocolate bars she had obtained.

"That's great! Maggie actually came out of the room today! She's in the living room right now, reading. Her baby bump is the cutest. She's still a little on edge so don't sneak up on her or anything," Carol informed Tara who smiled a big goofy smile at what was said.

"She's out of the room?" Tara couldn't contain her grin.

Tara knew that this was a big step for Maggie. For the first time in three weeks, she actually left the bedroom. The room was Maggie's sanctuary where she felt safe and secure. She never left the room unless she absolutely had to. Now, it seemed like Maggie was slowly getting comfortable being near other people. Maggie still had flashbacks and panicked easily, but her recovery was slowly beginning.

"Yup! Maggie's out and about. She's still adjusting of course, but it's a step in the right direction. Plus, she started eating more which is always a good sign," Carol smiled as they both walked into the house.

Tara made her way into the living room, thrilled to see Maggie in the recliner, reading a baby book. Maggie smiled when she noticed Tara in the doorway, watching her with an adoring gaze.

The bruises on Maggie's face, body, and neck had finally faded away. It helped both of them since the marks were a daily reminder of what had happened. Tara knew that while physically Maggie was healed, mentally she wasn't. So Tara tried to keep her wife as comfortable as she could, avoiding doing anything that could trigger a flashback like surprising Maggie or hugging her from behind.

"Hey baby, how are you doing today?" Tara asked as she strolled into the room. Maggie closed her book, glancing up at Tara.

"I'm doin' a bit better. I just wanted to get out of the room for a bit," Maggie said as Tara leaned down to give her a kiss.

Tara let her hand slowly drift down to Maggie's baby bump. Maggie placed her hand on top of Tara's as they both smiled at each other. Maggie scooted over in the chair so Tara could sit with her, but Maggie soon ended up in Tara's lap as they looked at the baby book together.

Tara tried to keep her attention on the book that Maggie was showing her, but it was hard. She felt Maggie's body so close to her own, and Tara couldn't help but notice that Maggie's breasts had grown a bit because of the pregnancy. Tara tried to keep her mind off sex since she knew Maggie wasn't ready, but it was torture.

They heard the front door open as Rick and Daryl stepped into the house. Both of the men were happy to see Maggie out of her bedroom, knowing how hard it was for her to take that big step.

"Hey, you two. How's the baby doin?" Daryl asked as Maggie beamed.

"Baby is doin' great. Dr. Fields said that she should start kickin' in a couple of weeks or so. I'm excited 'bout that," Maggie answered as both men smiled, happy that she seemed to be doing a bit better.

"Yeah, soon Maggie will have a little soccer player in there," Tara joked.

Rick grinned before getting down to business. "Well, Sasha has been takin' watch and explorin' a bit in the forest. She said that there's a lot more walkers showin' up. A lot more than she can manage so I want you and Daryl to start headin' out on days you don't have any supply runs, and take care of any walkers you find."

Tara nodded her head in agreement. "That sounds like fun. Daryl and I will definitely have fun taking out some walkers."

"Good. We can't have a huge herd build up. We all know these people ain't ready for anythin' like that. Plus, who knows how much weight those walls can handle," Rick cautioned as Tara and Daryl agreed.

"So 'morrow we'll head out into the woods for a few hours, and kill as many walkers as we can. Sounds easy 'nuff," Daryl said as Carol joined their little group in the living room.

"I could go out if you need me too," Carol offered.

Rick shook his head. "Nah...Tara, Daryl, and Sasha should be enough for now. That's all that Deanna has approved of so far, anyways. And I don't want to get on her bad side just yet."

Deanna and Rick's group had been united during the whole Roger dilemma, but the leader of Alexandria was still leery of the outsiders and their philosophy on certain things. Rick definitely didn't want to further strain the relationship they had built so far with Deanna. Although, Rick still considered taking control of Alexandria if it seemed like the best option. So far that day hadn't come yet.

"So be ready for a walker slaughter tomorrow," Rick said before he patted Tara and Daryl on the shoulder and headed out the front door.

"Come on," Carol grabbed Daryl's arm and led him to the kitchen so that Tara and Maggie could have some privacy.

"It's nice to see ya, Maggie. I hope yer doin' better. If ya need anythin' just let me know," Daryl smiled as he was corralled into the kitchen.

Once they were alone again, Tara leaned against Maggie, holding her tight, trying not to overstep any boundaries. Maggie responded by pulling Tara closer, letting her fingers graze up and down Tara's arm.

Maggie couldn't believe how lucky she was to have Tara in her life. There had been a couple of bad days, but for the most part, Tara had been by Maggie's side faithfully throughout the past three weeks. Tara always took Maggie's feelings into consideration, never doing anything to make her uncomfortable. Tara listened when she needed to talk or just held her when she cried. Tara had been nothing but loving and patient during the whole ordeal.

Tara placed a kiss on Maggie's shoulder before reaching down to grab her backpack.

"Guess what I got you," Tara grinned as she dug around in the pack.

"What?" Maggie asked, her curiosity peaked.

"These," Tara handed the chocolate bars to Maggie, loving the way her face lit up.

"Oh my god! You have no idea how much I've been cravin' candy right now. You're the absolute best!" Maggie beamed as she gave Tara a kiss on the cheek.

"Anything for my girl," Tara smiled as they held each other. The young couple felt like everything would be alright, and they would get past this hurdle.

Soon, everyone else started to come home from their jobs and were pleasantly surprised to see Maggie out of the bedroom. The family had missed Maggie being around, feeling like a piece of their group dynamic had been missing and an important one at that.

Even though it was hard, especially for Carol and Rosita, no one touched or hugged Maggie, knowing that she was still uncomfortable with anyone touching her but Tara. They were all excited about the upcoming baby, knowing they only had a few more months to prepare.

"So when are we gonna start workin' on the nursery? We have that extra room that would be perfect for the baby. We can put Tara, Daryl, and Abraham to work on paintin' it. Carol, Maggie, and I can get the crib and other things the baby'll need," Rosita excitedly started to plan out the whole nursery.

"Well, you gals figure out what color you want it, and I'll run with Daryl to the hardware store that's a few towns over. I know y'all have like twelve different names for one color," Tara joked while they talked about how to set up the extra room.

Maggie enjoyed the time spent with Carol and Rosita, missing her friends during the time spent up in the room by herself. Maggie could almost feel a sense of normalcy coming over her. Of course, the crimes against her were still fresh on her mind, but slowly she found herself not thinking about the horrible events all the time like she used to. Now, Maggie found herself thinking more about the growing baby inside her. Plus, it didn't hurt that Tara was by her side.

The family spent the rest of evening enjoying each other's company, and reassuring Maggie that they didn't think any different of her. They all knew Maggie didn't want to viewed as a hopeless victim. Tara was so proud of her wife for surviving through something so devastating, and coming out stronger than ever.

Finally, after a couple of hours of conversing with the family, Maggie fell asleep against Tara. After saying goodnight to everybody, Tara gently picked up Maggie and carried her upstairs to their bed. She gingerly laid Maggie down onto the soft mattress, covering her up with the blanket.

Tara quickly got ready for bed, knowing she had an early morning with Daryl. Maggie didn't wake up as she snuggled into Tara, finding comfort in the warmth and the familiar way Tara held her close.

* * *

The next morning, Tara was up and ready to go when there was soft knock on the bedroom door. She quickly opened it before the noise could wake up Maggie.

"You 'bout ready to head out?" Daryl asked as Tara nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be down there in a few minutes," Tara replied. Daryl headed down the stairs to say goodbye to Carol and get his backpack ready for a long day.

Tara opened her drawer, taking out the gun that no one had a clue she had except Carol, Daryl, and Rick. After everything that had went down, Rick and Carol were more adamant that their family had hidden guns to protect themselves. So far, Carol had made a sizable gun collection that they kept stashed in Daryl's room.

She made sure the gun was loaded before sticking it in the waistband of her jeans. Tara kissed Maggie softly on the lips before heading down the steps and into the kitchen where Daryl was waiting for her.

"Ready to kick some walker ass?" Daryl asked as they both headed out the front door.

"Hell yeah," Tara laughed while Carol gave them both a hug.

"You both better be careful! Don't make me have to go out there looking for y'all," Caron threatened, playfully giving them a stern look.

"We're always careful!" Tara argued as Carol just burst out in laughter.

"Yeah right! Good one!" Carol grinned as she waved the duo off.

Daryl and Tara strolled to the pantry where they waited for Olivia to issue them a couple of guns. Daryl picked a revolver while Tara selected a semi-automatic tactical rifle. Olivia gushed to Tara about how there was more than enough infant formula when Maggie had the baby. It almost seemed like the whole town was ready for the arrival of the Chambler baby.

The duo were finally able to get away from Olivia and make their way to the gate where Sasha was waiting for them.

"Finally, you two show up! I thought you guys bailed out on me," Sasha laughed, holding her semi-automatic rifle close to her body.

"Nah, we just couldn't get away from Olivia and all her talkin'. That woman can talk for hours if ya let her," Daryl complained as Sasha and Tara laughed.

"Yeah, I know about that all right. What was she talkin' to you about?" Sasha asked the duo.

"She was talking about the baby, and asking what I thought the sex was, and too many baby questions," Tara grinned.

Spencer appeared at the gate to let the trio out. Tara raised her hand for a fist bump which he readily returned.

"You guys be careful. I'll be on the lookout for y'all in a few hours," Spencer said while he opened the gate.

"See ya later, buddy," Tara called back to him. Spencer waved goodbye in response, and watched until the group disappeared within the trees.

Daryl and Tara followed Sasha throughout the woods, keeping a close eye on their surroundings. The trio walked a few miles until they came upon a few dead walker bodies.

"These are the ones I killed yesterday. There was a whole herd of them...they probably went towards the west. There were too many for me to handle," Sasha explained as Daryl knelt down to inspect the bodies.

"They all have this carved on their forehead?" Daryl asked. Tara knelt down to see what he was referring to. She noticed that a "W" was carved on the dead walker's head.

Tara looked at the other dead bodies and saw that they all had the same carving. She was puzzled on who would mark live walkers, and hoped it wasn't a future threat to Alexandria.

"You think it's another group?" Tara questioned while Daryl continued to investigate the bodies.

"Maybe. Let's hope they aren't tryin' to attack us with walkers. Sasha said she's seein' more biters around. They could be tryin' to start a war...what better way than with a shit load of walkers? A whole big herd could bring a wall down easily," Daryl replied as they thought about what he had said.

"Let's hope that's not what's happening. We all know Alexandria isn't prepared to take on a ton of walkers," Sasha added, knowing the people were ill prepared for an emergency like that.

"Come on. Looks like the herd went this way," Daryl led the way, looking for walker tracks in the ground.

The three friends made their way through the forest, brushing past trees and bushes. Tara felt the cool wind on her skin; the trees' leaves turning into a yellowish red color. Winter was definitely right around the corner, and all the dangers that came with it.

They walked a few more miles deeper into the forest until the noise of numerous walkers could be heard. The friends quietly crept closer until they came upon a small clearing. They almost couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the scene before them.

There was a sturdy chainlink cage where there had to be about fifty to sixty walkers being held captive. The walkers were against one side of the fence where it was bending slightly against the extra weight. Tara noticed that almost all of the walkers had the "W" carved into their foreheads, just like the ones in the forest.

"What the fuck's goin' on here?" Daryl wondered out loud, expressing everyone's thought.

"Who knows? But it doesn't look good," Tara commented as the walkers caught sight of them. Suddenly, one side of the cage started to shake harder, the biters wanting a taste of human flesh.

"We need to do something about this," Sasha suggested as the fence shook with force, causing all three of them to get a little nervous. They knew they had no chance against sixty walkers if the fence broke down under all the added stress.

"Yeah...if they have other fenced in walkers with this amount in 'em then Alexandria would be in big trouble if we're their target," Daryl observed as he watched the cage tremble.

Sasha glanced at her friends. "So what should we do about this herd?"

"Set it on fire," Daryl suggested while Tara thought over the idea in her head.

"Sounds like a good idea. But won't it piss off whoever captured all these walkers?" Tara questioned with a bit of concern.

Daryl shrugged, knowing they didn't have much choice. "Yeah...they probably will get pissed but what choice do we have? We gotta protect Alexandria and our family."

"So we all agree? Burn this thing down?" Sasha asked as Tara and Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Let's get to it then. Come on, there was some gasoline in our little cabin in the woods," Tara reminded Daryl about their hidden cabin in the woods.

"Oh yeah...let's go get that real quick before whoever's corralling all these biters comes back," Daryl led the way through the forest towards the cabin. Tara kept a diligent eye out for any danger.

She had a bad feeling about the fenced in walkers. Tara was certain that some kind of enemy had declared war on Alexandria and it was only a matter of time until evil came knocking at their door.

They finally came upon the cabin, letting themselves in. Sasha immediately noticed all the dried up blood on the floor, and knew that was the scene of Nicholas' demise.

"This where you guys killed that son of a bitch?" Sasha asked although she already knew the answer.

"Yeah...we got a little carried away, but what he did to Maggie was unforgivable," Tara said while she grabbed the container of gasoline.

Daryl scoffed. "Fucker deserved everythin' we did to him and more."

They remained quiet while Daryl searched through the cabinets until he found a six-pack of beer. He opened one and almost drank the whole bottle in one gulp.

"Want one?" Daryl asked his friends. Sasha shook her head while Tara popped one open.

"Drink a couple. Or pour it down the sink. We're gonna molotov the shit outta that walker cage," Daryl announced while he worked on his second beer.

Tara quickly finished up her drink before twisting the top off another bottle and finishing it in a couple of gulps. Daryl grabbed the container of gasoline, filling up all four bottles. Tara added some motor oil to the bottles while Sasha found an old sheet and tore off pieces to stuff into the bottles.

Daryl took the pieces of cloth and soaked them in some kerosene. "Those fuckers are gonna burn. Let's get goin' before it gets late."

Daryl grabbed two bottles while Tara took the remaining ones. They quickly made their way back to the fenced in walkers with Sasha keeping her gun ready to fire at the first sign of danger. They finally reached their destination where the captive walkers were going crazy knowing a meal was just a few feet away.

"This won't set the forest on fire will it?" Tara asked as Daryl pulled out his lighter, lighting the first molotov and handing it to her.

"Nah...it should be contained. Just those fuckers will get burned to a crisp," Daryl laughed as he lit up another bottle.

"You wanna do the honors?" Daryl nodded his head toward the cage of walkers.

"Sure," Tara simply said as she threw the molotov as hard as she could at the caged in walkers.

The bottle exploded on impact causing an intense fireball as the flames spread throughout the cage, engulfing the unfortunate walkers that were in the way. Daryl threw his molotov into the mix before lighting up the remaining two beer bottles. He handed one to Tara, throwing his last one into the cage.

Tara threw the last molotov at the walkers. Flames and smoke flew up into the air, the undead bodies burning to a crisp, their bodies becoming charcoal black. The three friends watched their work in progress before Daryl decided they better head back to Alexandria.

"Let's get outta here. Whoever rounded up those walkers will notice the smoke and fire. I don't think they'll bring the welcomin' community if they catch us here," Daryl quickly retreated into the cover of the trees followed closely by Tara and Sasha.

They remained on high alert, reacting to every branch breaking or unknown noise they heard. The friends finally made it back to the safety of Alexandria, the gate only a few feet away. Spencer promptly greeted him as he opened the gate for them.

"Hey guys...y'all were gone for a while. Anything interesting?" Spencer asked as Daryl nodded.

"Yeah, lots of interestin' shit out there. We'll talk to you and Deanna 'bout it later," Daryl replied.

Spencer kept watch over the gate while Daryl, Tara, and Sasha returned their guns to Olivia.

"Rick's still patrollin' the neighborhood probably. In 'bout an hour, we'll meet at the back wall where it's private and let him know what we saw. We shouldn't tell anyone else until Rick figures out what he wants to do. Agree?" Daryl explained as Tara and Sasha nodded.

"Alright...see you guys in an hour. I'm gonna go see if there's anything left over from dinner," Sasha announced as she started to make her way back to the houses.

"Hey, can you check on Maggie for me? I probably won't see her until after our meeting with Rick," Tara asked.

"Of course! Any excuse to see that cute baby bump on her," Sasha smiled, continuing her way towards the house.

"What are you gonna do?" Daryl asked Tara in a curious voice. He was surprised that she wasn't running home to make sure that Maggie was alright.

"I'm gonna go see Rex, the tattoo guy, and see if he can tat me up real quick," Tara answered.

"Gonna get Maggie's name on ya? Ya know that means that yer like her property forever," Daryl laughed while Tara shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm cool with that," Tara grinned as Daryl patted her shoulder.

"Alright...see ya in an hour," Daryl made his way towards the houses while Tara went the opposite direction.

Tara walked slowly down the streets, noticing that the sun was starting to already set. She guessed they had been in the woods for a few hours dealing with that walker herd. Tara knew there had to be more captive walkers out there. She sighed to herself, thinking about how they never seemed to get a break.

She made it to Rex's place, where he was more than willing to tat her up real quick.

"So I'm guessin' she's 'the one' if you're gettin' her name on you," Rex commented as he applied the tattoo gun to her skin.

"Yeah, Maggie is everything to me," Tara smiled, watching while Rex tattooed her wife's beautiful name on her wrist.

The tattoo didn't take long, and the result was everything Tara had imagined and more. Each letter was beautifully crafted in perfection, and Tara knew Maggie would love it.

"Just be sure to wash it with soap at least twice a day," Rex instructed as he bandaged up Tara's wrist.

"Awesome. Thanks man. I really appreciate it," Tara shook his hand as he led her to the door.

"No problemo. Hey, be sure to come back. I wanna do a sleeve but no one wants to get tatted around here. You game?" Rex asked in a hopeful voice.

"Hell yeah! Let me know what designs you come up with. I definitely wanna get tatted again," Tara replied as Rex gave her a high five.

They said their goodbyes before Tara started to make her way towards the back wall to meet up with Daryl, Sasha, and Rick. She suddenly noticed that Nicole was out on her front porch and ran to greet her friend. Tara had a strange feeling that Nicole had been avoiding her lately, and she wasn't sure what she had done.

"Hey Nicole...how have you been?" Tara asked as she leaned against the porch rail.

"I've been alright. Just been workin' a lot," Nicole smiled before an awkward silence surrounded them.

Tara stood on the porch looking out on the street. "Did I do something to make you mad at me?"

Nicole sighed as she remembered the night that Tara had shown up on her doorstep, drunk with a bottle of liquor in her hand.

"Do you remember that night you got really wasted?" Nicole asked as Tara tried to remember the night in question.

"No. I mean I remember drinking some Crowne and walking down the streets, but after that nothing. Only thing I remember after that is Daryl waking me up by throwing a bucket of cold water on me. Why? Did I do something?" Tara questioned as she desperately tried to recall the events of that night but pulling up blank.

"Yeah. you showed up on my front porch, wasted as fuck. We sat down on the chairs...then I don't know what you were thinkin'. Probably wasn't thinkin' at all with how drunk you were," Nicole looked over at Tara.

"What did I do?" Tara almost didn't want to know the answer.

"You kissed me. It only lasted for a few seconds cuz I broke it up, but still," Nicole revealed while Tara looked at the ground, ashamed of her drunken actions.

"I'm sorry...I don't even know what to say," Tara tried to remember her mindset that night.

"It's ok. I mean it wasn't ok cuz of Maggie, but I knew you were wasted and very emotional. I didn't tell anyone cuz I know how much you love Maggie. Let's just keep it between us. She doesn't need to be hurt anymore. Plus, it's not like you meant it," Nicole tried to reason with Tara so that her marriage would stay intact.

"I guess. I just feel so guilty now," Tara leaned against the railing, feeling sick to her stomach.

"It meant nothin'. There's no reason for this to ruin your relationship. If you were sober then I would have questions but you were beyond intoxicated. So we should just forget it even happened. I don't even know why I told you to be honest," Nicole gave Tara a quick hug, being sure that it didn't last longer than a few seconds.

Quietness surrounded them for a few seconds while they both tried to think about what to say next. Nicole noticed the bandage on Tara's wrist.

"What happened?" Nicole pointed towards Tara's wrist.

"Oh...tattoo. I got Maggie's name tattooed on my wrist," Tara felt even more remorseful.

"You're so dedicated to her, Tara. Let's just never talk about it again, like it never happened," Nicole suggested as Tara nodded in forced agreement.

Tara looked down at her watch and realized that she already late for the meeting. She gave Nicole a quick hug before running down the steps.

"I gotta go but I'll see you around, I guess," Tara said uncertainly while Nicole waved goodbye.

Tara ran through the almost empty, dark streets. The street lamps flicked on as she made her way to the back wall as quickly as she could. There she saw Sasha, Daryl, and Rick waiting for her.

"Glad you could make it," Daryl sarcastically said as Tara joined their small group.

"Sorry guys. I lost track of time," Tara apologized as Rick noticed the bandage on her arm.

"Hurt yourself again?" Rick asked as Tara shook her head.

"Nah...tattoo," Tara grinned, showing her friends the newest tattoo.

"I can see why Maggie fell for you. You've got that bad girl image written all over you," Sasha laughed while Tara shrugged in response.

"How was Maggie?" Tara questioned the former firefighter.

"She was doin' great. Maggie was in the kitchen with Carol when I got there. I got to feel her baby bump...so cute!" Sasha gushed as Tara beamed proudly.

"Alright, let's get down to business," Rick said in a serious tone. Daryl explained to their leader what they had found in the forest and his worries of some other group trying to start a turf war.

"Well, y'all did the right thing with destroyin' that walker pen. Whoever created it might be pissed though so we need to be extra vigilant. I'll talk to Deanna and tell her not to let any of her people out of the gates until we know for sure what we're up against. They wouldn't know how to protect themselves and might get kidnapped by this new threat," Rick ran his hand through his brown hair; his blue eyes gazing at the quiet town.

"All four of us will go out 'morrow and look for more of these pens and destroy all that we find. If these people want a war, they messed with wrong people," Rick declared as the others agreed.

"Almost all the walkers had a 'W' carved into their forehead. Any ideas on what that might mean?" Sasha asked while the other three thought it over.

Suddenly, an idea came to Tara. She turned to look at Rick and Daryl. "Remember when we went to check out Noah's community? On the walls there were messages that said stuff like 'Wolves were here'. It's probably the same group who attacked that community."

"If it's the same people then they're dangerous. Very dangerous," Daryl commented.

"Keep your eyes open for anythin' that looks suspicious. I want someone from our group on lookout at all times. We know what to do in case Alexandria gets attacked by people or walkers," Rick ordered while he observed the wall behind him. He knew it wouldn't take too much to knock down a wall and make the community vulnerable.

"I'll keep watch tonight," Sasha offered as Rick gave her a look of approval.

"I'll take tomorrow night," Tara offered.

"You sure Maggie will be alright with that?" Daryl questioned, knowing that Maggie might not be ready to spend a night away from Tara.

"I think she'll be alright if Rosita and Carol stay with her, but I'll talk to her about it," Tara replied.

"Alright...let's head back since it's gettin' late. I'll talk to Deanna in the mornin' and let her know what's goin' on. Then we can go out and search for more walker pens. We need to lessen this threat as much as we can," Rick finalized their meeting before leading the way back their houses.

Tara, Daryl, and Rick walked back home after saying goodbye to Sasha, who was headed to the lookout post to do the night watch after obtaining a gun from the armory. Rick headed into his house after giving his friends a quick hug.

Tara and Daryl stood on their front porch, enjoying the cool night and a couple of cigarettes before heading to bed. The friends didn't speak much since they both had a lot on their minds, mainly the newfound threat the community was most likely facing.

"Alright, buddy. I'll see you in the morning," Tara said goodnight to Daryl before heading into the house and up the stairs.

The house was dark and quiet since everyone was in their rooms ready for the night. Tara quietly opened the door to her bedroom, trying not to make too much noise and wake Maggie.

Tara allowed herself a few seconds to admire Maggie who was sound asleep. She reached down, gently letting her hand run up and down Maggie's side, realizing how much she had missed her. Tara quickly took a shower and got ready for bed.

She carefully slid into bed trying not to disturb Maggie. Tara realized she failed at her mission when she felt soft kisses on her neck as Maggie snuggled against her.

"I missed you so much," Maggie whispered softly into Tara's ear.

"I missed you too, babe. I'm sorry I was gone all day. We had a lot to do and talk about. How's the baby?" Tara asked, trying to ignore Maggie's hot breath against her ear.

"Baby's fine. Tara...I think I'm ready," Maggie said as Tara sat up to look at her.

"Are you sure, babe? You don't have to rush it. I said we can wait as long as you want," Tara gazed down into Maggie's eyes, looking for any doubt.

"I want to...I've missed that connection we share," Maggie whispered as she pulled Tara down, letting their lips touch gently, their breath intermingling.

Tara closed her eyes, capturing Maggie's lips into her own, gently placing her body fully on top of Maggie's. Tara savored the feeling of having Maggie underneath her again, the closeness of the bodies pressed together.

"If it becomes too much, just tell me to stop, ok?" Tara nuzzled Maggie's neck, basking in the scent of her skin mixed with perfume.

"Just be gentle and slow," Maggie held Tara close, her body trembling in anticipation.

Tara thrusted her hips against the woman underneath her causing a small moan to escape Maggie's lips. Slowly, Tara let her hand wander under Maggie's shirt, feeling the soft, smooth skin. Maggie sucked in a breath as Tara's hand cupped a firm breast, her thumb gently rubbing the hard nipple.

Maggie sat up slightly, reaching down to pull off her shirt, tossing it onto the floor. Tara let her eyes drink in Maggie's beautiful body, taking in every detail.

"You're so beautiful..." Tara whispered before placing a few soft kisses on Maggie's collarbone, making her way to the succulent breasts that waited for attention.

Maggie took in a sharp breath when she felt Tara's tongue against her excited nipple. Maggie eagerly ran her hands over Tara's strong back muscles as Tara continued to suck on her nipple. Tara took her time before moving onto the next one causing Maggie to whimper in pleasure.

Tara licked her way down Maggie's body until she reached the hem of Maggie's black lacy panties. Tara hooked the panties with her thumbs, glancing up at Maggie for permission to go on.

"Please..." Maggie begged hitching her hips up so Tara could slide the panties off.

Tara could barely keep herself from coming right at the sight of Maggie's naked body. She let her hands run up and down Maggie's smooth legs, slowly letting her hand wander up Maggie's thigh.

"You're so gorgeous, Maggie," Tara murmured as she slowly opened Maggie's legs, eyeing what she wanted the most.

Tara reached down, letting her fingers feel how wet Maggie was for her.

"Oh Tara..." Maggie whimpered, her body trembling with anticipation.

Slowly, Tara coated two fingers with Maggie's wetness, feeling how warm and silky her juices felt. Gently, Tara slid both fingers into Maggie's pussy, the tightness gripping her instantly.

"Oh god...Tara..." Maggie moaned as Tara's fingers slowly started to move in and out of her pussy, making her even more wet than before.

Smiling at Maggie's reaction to her, Tara leaned down letting her tongue stroke Maggie's clit, savoring the sweet taste that invaded her taste buds. Maggie cried out in pleasure as Tara's tongue licked her pussy, making sure that every inch was tasted and coated with saliva. Maggie reached down, her fingers running through Tara's hair, her hips thrusting in rhythm with the long fingers deep inside her.

Tara could feel Maggie's impending orgasm as she sucked on her clit, her fingers gripped tight by Maggie's pussy. It didn't take long before Tara felt an intense orgasm shudder through Maggie's body. Tara's mouth became drenched with Maggie's wetness as she removed her fingers, letting her tongue enter Maggie's pussy, licking up all juices that coated her waiting tongue.

Maggie cried out Tara's name, her fingers gripping Tara's dark brown hair hard, pulling just a bit as the orgasm took over her body. A few seconds later, Maggie's raging body started to calm down.

Tara's nose nudged Maggie's clit before she placed a kiss on it. Moving up, Tara hovered over Maggie, as she came down from the intensity of her orgasm. Tara placed kisses on Maggie's face before she was pulled in for a passionate kiss, Maggie's tongue swirling around hers. Maggie moaned into Tara's mouth as she tasted herself.

Their bodies were pressed together as Maggie quickly discarded Tara's tank top and boxers, pushing the clothing off the bed. Maggie could feel Tara's hard erection poking her stomach, little dribbles of pre-cum slipping out.

Maggie reached between their hot, sweaty bodies, gripping Tara softly, guiding Tara's cock to her wet pussy. Tara could feel the head of her cock teasingly enter Maggie, but she forced herself to stop.

"Are you sure you want this, baby?" Tara asked with concern, ready to stop if any doubt laced Maggie's eyes.

"Yes...I want this. Just be gentle," Maggie kissed Tara, trying to reassure her that she was ready.

Maggie closed her eyes, softly whimpering as Tara slowly started to thrust into her tight pussy. Tara let out a groan at the feel of Maggie's pussy wrapped around her hard cock.

"Baby, look at me, so you know it's me. I love you so much," Tara whispered, leaning down to kiss Maggie's lips.

Maggie opened her eyes, gazing into Tara's dark brown ones, seeing nothing but love in those eyes. Maggie let her fingers graze over Tara's shoulders and back muscles.

"I love you too," Maggie said as she wrapped her legs around Tara's waist, bringing them even closer together.

Never breaking eye contact, Tara slowly thrusted forward, her cock entering Maggie's warm slickness inch by inch. Maggie moaned at the sensation of Tara filling her up from inside, loving how gentle and romantic Tara was being with her.

After Tara was fully sheathed inside of Maggie, she stayed still letting Maggie get used to her size. Maggie could feel her pussy stretch to accommodate Tara's cock, her nails lightly scratching Tara's back, leaving marks behind.

"You ok?" Tara asked, giving Maggie another passionate kiss.

"Yes...just go slow," Maggie looked up into Tara's eyes, hitching her hips up.

Tara slowly started to thrust in and out of Maggie's pussy, pulling out until just the tip was in, and then burying herself deep into the tightness. They kept eye contact as Tara built up a slow, steady rhythm, trying to hold off her orgasm for as long as possible.

Maggie moved her hips to meet Tara's strokes, moans escaping her lips with each thrust that she felt. She knew Tara was holding back so she wouldn't get hurt or scared. Maggie didn't know what she had done to deserve someone so loving and as caring as Tara.

Maggie couldn't fight it any longer as she pulled Tara down, desperately kissing her lips, hips picking up a little speed. Tara responded by thrusting a little faster, holding Maggie tight as her strokes became just a little bit rougher.

They kept up the faster rhythm, the headboard hitting the wall gently. Maggie could feel her orgasm teetering on the edge as she reached down and rubbed her clit. Tara leaned down, giving Maggie frenzied, desperate kisses, knowing that she only had a few more minutes before she came.

Tara could feel her cock coated with Maggie's juicy wetness, the tightness engulfing her, knowing that she was in her own personal heaven.

"Oh...Tara!" Maggie cried out as her body went over the edge. She held onto Tara, desperately digging her fingernails into Tara's back as her body rode out the waves of pleasure, feeling herself orgasm all over Tara's cock.

Tara felt Maggie shake underneath her, knowing that she was close. She could feel the intense sensation of Maggie's pussy gripping her hard, making the need for release unbearable. Tara thrusted a couple of more times until she finally allowed herself to cum, knowing that Maggie had gotten off already.

Maggie latched onto Tara tight as she felt Tara cum deep inside of her, feeling her pussy fill with cum. Tara thrusted until she was spent, the warm tightness milking every ounce out of her. All of her energy gone, Tara collapsed onto Maggie, giving her passionate kisses.

"I love you so much. Are you ok?" Tara asked with concern. She hoped that she hadn't done anything to hurt Maggie.

"I'm more than ok. I feel amazin'. I love you too," Maggie replied, holding Tara close, reveling in the feel of having Tara buried deep inside of her.

After a few minutes, Tara gently pulled out, laying on her back. Maggie took the opportunity to snuggle into Tara's side, feeling safe in her arms. They were quiet for a few moments until Maggie noticed Tara's new tattoo.

"You got my name tattooed on you?" Maggie smiled, letting her fingers graze the ink on Tara's wrist.

"I told you I would get it done. Now, we can't ever get divorced cuz then I'll just look like a dumb ass," Tara laughed as Maggie giggled. The sound was absolute music to Tara's ears.

"Well, I don't ever plan on leavin' you. Especially since I'm havin' your kid," Maggie beamed, letting her hand rest on her baby bump.

"Good cuz you're all mine. You're perfect in every way for me, Maggie. You're my everything," Tara said as Maggie felt some tears of joy leave the corners of her eyes.

Tara noticed that Maggie was crying and became alarmed. "Are you alright, baby? Did I hurt you? Was it too soon?"

Maggie shook her head. "No...I just can't believe how lucky I am to have you."

"I'm the lucky one here," Tara grinned while Maggie cuddled her, pulling the blanket over them.

It didn't take long for Maggie to fall asleep, her breathing becoming relaxed and even. Tara held her wife close, making sure that Maggie didn't have any nightmares that still seemed to plague her every night.

This night was silent as Maggie listened to the rhythm of Tara's soothing heartbeat. Tara thought about the new threat that was on the horizon. She had a feeling something horrible was waiting for Alexandria in the coming weeks. Tara could only hope that her family would survive whatever was thrown at them.

* * *

The charred remains of dead walkers filled the air as his nostrils took in the scent. He smirked as he thought of what the other survivors had done to his walker horde. He ran his hand through his messy, dirty hair, surveying the damage in front of him. The community behind the walls actually thought they had a chance against his ruthless group. The idea was laughable at best for him.

The man laughed out loud as his companions looked at him like he had gone crazy. Perhaps, he had lost his mind.

He was planning an attack on the walled-in community already, but now he wanted to plan it quicker and more deadlier. His group, The Wolves, had killed countless innocent victims, carving a "W" into their foreheads. They had taken down entire communities, scavenging and taking what they wanted - food, supplies, women, children.

They used the undead bodies of their victims in attacks against other groups and communities. So far his group of bandits and thieves had wreaked havoc on countless peaceful groups.

Now, his savage group had the walled-in community in their sights. He reached up, feeling the perfect "W" carved into his forehead. Yes, that community would know very soon who the Wolves were.

* * *

Oh no! The Wolves are coming! What do they have planned for Alexandria? Will the community even survive this new threat? More importantly will Team Family make it out unscathed?

I saw the promotional pictures for season 6...Tara and Glenn are lookin' hot af! Less than a month until those two grace my screen again. Sorry...total fangirl moment there! :)

This chapter's song is "Just a Game" by Birdy.

But anyways enough about my crushes. Thank you everyone for all the awesome reviews! I love all of you! You guys make this gal very happy! :)


	27. Run

The next couple of weeks were a whirlwind for the town of Alexandria. Tara and Daryl went out into the forest looking for more walker pens, but always came up empty. After a few days, they quit looking as a new problem at home began to arise. Rick and his group were slowly getting their family dynamic back in order after what had happened to Maggie, but the rest of Alexandria seemed uneasy about them still.

Tara knew that Deanna had a watchful eye on the group, especially after Rick got into a violent altercation with Jessie's abusive husband, Pete. The fight had been brutal with both men bloody and battered. Rick had waved a gun around as he yelled that Alexandria wasn't safe, and that they wouldn't survive since the town had no idea how bad the outside world was.

That whole incident had resulted in a meeting being held to see if the town even wanted Rick around anymore. Tara knew most of the townspeople were wary of Rick, but she knew he was just trying to protect Alexandria from the inevitable.

Tara and Maggie walked together to where the meeting was to be held, hand in hand. Maggie had been doing better with coping after what had happened to her. Maggie had even tried to change Deanna's mind about Rick, pleading that he didn't deserve to be kicked out. The leader of Alexandria wasn't to be swayed though, and the meeting was to go on as scheduled.

The couple finally made it to the meeting spot where Carol, Eugene, Daryl, and Abraham were already seated. Tara and Maggie took their seats next to their friends, looking at the townspeople who had gathered. Tara spotted Jessie seated next to Nicole, who gave her a small smile. Tara still felt guilty about kissing Nicole when she had been wasted, and Tara still didn't remember the kiss happening. Tara had tried to tell Maggie on a few occasions, but always lost her nerve.

"You ok?" Maggie asked Tara, noticing that she looked deep in thought.

"Yeah, babe. I just wanna get this all over with," Tara took Maggie's hand, holding it tight.

Maggie let her hand wander to her growing baby bump as Tara gave her a small smile. Tara was ready to get this meeting over with, and for everyone to see how Rick could help them all survive, and that he wasn't the enemy. Tara already had her mind set, that if Rick was kicked out then she would go with him. There was no way, she would let him face the outside world alone. Tara just wasn't sure how Maggie would react to her plan. Hopefully, Maggie would never find out what she was thinking if the townspeople came to their senses about Rick.

The air around them had grown considerably cooler as Maggie wrapped her jacket tight around her body. There was a small fire burning in a barrel, the flame giving off some heat as they all waited for Deanna.

Finally, the Alexandrian leader appeared with her husband, Reg. She stood in the middle of the circle, eyeing everyone before she began.

"We're all gathered here tonight to decide if Rick Grimes is the right fit for Alexandria or not. He has shown some questionable behavior lately, and it seems to be escalating," Deanna explained as a few townspeople nodded in agreement.

"That's bullshit, and y'all know it. Rick has shown that he wants this place to survive. Hell, he helped take out a rapist and a serial killer. We even went out looking for walker pens together. You people don't know what's out there! Hell, a walker could walk right in here and y'all wouldn't know what to fuckin' do. You need us to survive. You need Rick to survive," Tara stood up as she addressed everyone at the meeting. The townspeople still looked apprehensive as they thought about her words.

"Sit down, Tara. Everyone will get their say," Deanna said as she challenged the younger woman, daring her to say another word.

"Tara..." Maggie took Tara's hand, calming her down a bit. Tara let out a sigh as she returned to her seat, feeling frustrated.

"It says a lot that Rick isn't even here to defend himself," Deanna remarked as Tara realized for the first time that Rick wasn't anywhere around.

"Can I say something?" Maggie asked Deanna, who smiled warmly at her. Deanna still had a soft spot for Maggie, almost feeling like a mentor to the young woman. She knew Maggie had it in her to be a great leader one day since she was so level headed.

"Yes, you may," Deanna stepped aside as Maggie stood up to speak.

"I know a lot of you are wary about Rick. My father respected him, and I learned in time to do the same. Rick is only tryin' to protect his family, and you people can part of that family. Rick would go to the end of the world to protect you if you're family to him," Maggie paused, trying to decide on what to say before continuing her speech.

"Rick has helped me through tough times and has always been there. When I got raped not too long ago, Rick made sure that the person who was responsible got punished. And he does that because we're family, and he looks out for all of us. Rick is the one who started it all, and y'all can be apart of our family. We can help you survive, but you need Rick around," Maggie finished her speech, sitting down next to Tara.

Tara noticed that Maggie had a few stray tears falling down her cheeks. Tara immediately wrapped her arm about Maggie's waist, pulling her close. She knew that Maggie still had a hard time talking about the rape, so her telling everyone what had happened had been a huge step for her wife.

Everyone was quiet as they processed what Maggie had just said. Then, Abraham spoke up in Rick's defense. "You people don't know shit about what's out there. There's a vast ocean of shit that you people don't know shit about. Rick knows every single grain of said shit and then some."

"That was quite a moving speech, Abraham," Deanna commented a bit sarcastically. She knew that Rick's group would defend him to the death, but she simply didn't trust the man.

Tara could see the distrust in Deanna's eyes as she stood up, ready to speak in Rick's defense again. "If you're gonna exile Rick, then you might as well do the same to me because I would have handled everything the same way he did. You really think I would just sit back and let the man who raped my wife just sit in prison? No, we eliminated that threat. And then with the whole Roger thing...you had a killer right under your noses but you didn't even suspect a thing. How do you think you're gonna survive threats out there when you can't even take care of threats within these walls?"

Tara sat down once again as the townspeople thought over what she had said. They knew that Nicholas and Roger had been dangerous, and Rick's group had taken care of those dangers. Yet, many people still weren't sure if they fully trusted the newcomers just yet. Deanna knew that Tara wouldn't be going anywhere, especially with Maggie being pregnant. She really didn't want to exile anyone, but she felt like she had no choice.

"A few weeks ago, Father Gabriel came to talk to me. He revealed to me that Rick's group was dangerous, and that they would put themselves before everyone else in this community. Then we see Rick attacking Pete, stealing from the armory, and pulling a gun on everyone. That just tells me that Gabriel's warning was justified," Deanna was ready to pass her judgement of exile for Rick, feeling that he didn't belong in the community, and wasn't safe.

"That fucker! Next time I see Gabriel, I'm gonna kick his ass," Tara threatened as Maggie tried to calm her down.

Suddenly, Rick appeared at the meeting with a dead walker slung over his shoulder. He let the body fall to the ground with a loud thud. The Alexandria residents looked shocked at the body that was before them. For many, this was the first time they had seen a walker up close and personal.

"I found three walkers roamin' the streets. I didn't let them in, but the gate was open. I killed them before any damage could be done, and we got lucky this time. But it doesn't matter how high you build your walls or how strong your gates are...something can always get in, and we need to be prepared for it," Rick glanced at the dead walker on the ground as proof of what he was saying.

"I admit...I had plans to take over this place. But I realize now that my family is now part of this community, and this community needs us. We need each other to survive, I can teach you all how to survive. Together we can thrive," Rick gave his moving speech before being interrupted by a sarcastic laugh.

Everyone turned to see Pete enter the meeting area, drunk off his rocker, and holding Michonne's katana in one hand. Pete had an evil gleam in his eyes that told Tara that he was there to hurt people, not talk.

"You people seriously aren't buyin' that bullshit?! Rick and his people don't deserve to be here! They're nothin' but troublemakers!" Pete yelled as Reg tried to defuse the situation, trying to calm Pete down.

Before anyone could stop what was happening, Pete struck Reg's neck with the katana, cutting his throat open, an endless stream of blood gushing out of the wound. Tara wasn't sure if what Pete had done had been an accident or not, but that didn't stop her from tackling Pete to the ground, and kicking the katana away.

Deanna rushed to her husband's side, overwhelmed with grief as he lay dying in her arms, a pool of blood accumulating underneath him.

Pete struggled against Tara's hold, yelling. "Rick isn't right for us! He'll kill all of y'all!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Tara pulled Pete's arms back further, almost breaking them in the process.

Reg laid in a pool of his own blood, choking for breath as he slowly died. Deanna had tears rushing down her face as she glared at Pete. Suddenly, she realized that Rick had been right all along. Pete should have been killed a long time ago, and now Reg had paid the ultimate price.

"Rick. Do it," Deanna said as Reg finally passed away, his lifeless body going limp in her arms.

Tara watched as Rick pulled out a hidden handgun, pointing it at Pete's head. He didn't hesitate for a second before he pulled the trigger. A bullet entered Pete's brain, killing him instantly. Tara could feel the backlash of warm blood splatter on her skin and clothes. She was also pretty sure that some brain matter got all over her.

The townspeople sat in disbelief, not fully believing the scene that had just played out in front of them. There were a few seconds of silence before an unknown voice broke the shocked quiet.

"Rick?" a voice questioned. Everyone looked up to see Aaron with another man. Tara didn't know who the African-American man was, but Rick seemed to recognize him instantly.

Rick and the man stared at each other in shocked silence for a few seconds. It was like neither believed that the other was standing in front of him.

"Morgan. You're here," Rick simply said as Morgan nodded. Aaron stared at the Pete's lifeless body in amazement, not exactly sure how to proceed. Tara suddenly realized that the man was dead, letting go of his arms.

She watched the reunion between Rick and Morgan, not entirely sure if it was a happy one. The two men continued to stare at each other until finally, Rick looked down at Pete's body and walked away from the scene.

Deanna was sobbing over Reg's lifeless body as Spencer fell to his knees, not believing that his father was really gone. Tara made her way over to the mourning family, not wanting to interrupt their grieving, but needing to make sure that Reg stayed down.

"I'm sorry, but we have to make sure that he doesn't turn," Tara said softly as Deanna nodded in agreement, knowing what had to be done. Tara knelt down by the body, knowing that Reg had been a good man who didn't deserve to die the way he did.

"I'm sorry..." Tara told the lifeless body before she stabbed Reg through the head.

Deanna and Spencer both glanced at Reg's body before they left, both sobbing over their loss. Abraham stepped forward, collecting the body and taking it over to Alexandria's makeshift graveyard.

"Come on. Let's head back home. It's been a long night," Tara helped Maggie stand up, leading her back to their house.

Tara noticed that Maggie was unusually quiet as they walked down the almost empty sidewalks. Tara held Maggie's hand tight as an overwhelming feeling of dread filled her body. She glanced over into a yard, seeing a baseball bat carelessly left on the grass. Tara quickly pushed away the strange feeling.

"You ok?" Tara asked as Maggie nodded her head.

"Yeah, I'm just sad because Reg was a good man. He didn't deserve to die tonight. I can't imagine what Deanna is goin' through. I don't ever want to feel what she's feelin' right now," Maggie held onto Tara's arm, needing to feel her calming presence.

"Don't worry, babe. I plan to stick around for a long time," Tara smiled as she raised Maggie's hand to her lips, kissing it softly.

The couple made their way back to the house, finding Daryl sitting on the front porch, smoking a cigarette. Maggie gave him a quick hug before opening the front door.

"I'll be up there in a minute, babe. I need to talk to Daryl about something real quick," Tara leaned down slightly to give Maggie a quick kiss. Maggie quickly disappeared into the house, shutting the door behind her.

Tara sat down next to Daryl as he offered a cigarette which she gladly accepted. She lit it up with her lighter, taking a long drag, letting the nicotine invade her body, soothing her a bit. Tara looked down, and realized that her clothes were all bloody from the whole Pete incident.

"Can I ask you something, Daryl? It might be weird at first but just go with it alright?" Tara asked, eyeing her best friend who gave her a strange look.

"Okay...shoot," Daryl was curious about what Tara had to ask.

"I get the feeling that I'm living on borrowed time. It might just be a fluke...who knows? But if anything happens to me, will you make sure that Maggie's safe and doesn't pull away from everyone?" Tara felt sadness at the thought of not being by Maggie's side, but she needed to make sure that all of her bases were covered.

"You know I'll take care of her. So will the rest of the group. You don't need to worry 'bout that. Now quit bein' weird," Daryl messed Tara's hair up a bit, trying to be playful. Tara playfully punched him on the arm a few times before flicking her cigarette away.

"Hey...Daryl, just know that no matter what happens, I love you," Tara smiled as Daryl hugged her tight.

"Love you, too," Daryl replied before they both made their way back inside the house.

Tara climbed up the stairs, saying goodnight to Carol and Rosita before opening the door to her bedroom. She found that Maggie was already fast asleep which was normal these days since the pregnancy wore her out quickly.

Tara wasted no time, shedding off her blood filled clothes, and hopping into the shower. She thought about the feeling that wouldn't leave her. It was almost like a premonition of something bad about to head their way. She wondered if it had to do with the Wolves that were out there. Tara and Daryl were heading out into the woods in the morning to look for more walker pens. Hopefully, they would be able to keep their new home safe.

She got dressed for bed, and quietly slipped under the sheets, pulling Maggie's back close to her front. Tara let her hand wander to Maggie's growing baby bump, letting their unborn child know that she was there.

Tara kissed Maggie's bare shoulder, holding her tight. She closed her eyes to sleep, but the unknown feeling was overwhelming so Tara just held Maggie close until she was finally able to doze off into a restless sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Tara, Daryl, Sasha, and Rick got ready to head into the woods once again. They were going to be on the lookout for more walker pens or the whereabouts of the infamous Wolves' members.

Maggie was going to keep an eye on Deanna, knowing that the other woman wasn't coping with the loss of her husband well. As they were eating breakfast there was a soft knock on the door. Abraham answered the front door as Aaron came into view, stepping into the dining room where he greeted everyone.

"Hey guys, I just got back from a scouting trip last night. But Maggie, I found what you were looking for," Aaron excitedly reached into his bag, pulling out an old Polaroid camera.

"Thank you so much, Aaron! This means so much to me!" Maggie took the camera from Aaron, inspecting it.

"It works great, and it has a roll of film so you can start taking pictures right away," Aaron explained as Maggie handed the camera to him.

"Take a picture of me and Tara!" Maggie said as she sat on Tara's lap, smiling. Tara chuckled before posing with her wife for the picture, trying to ignore the silly faces that Abraham and Rosita were giving her.

There was a bright flash before a Polaroid picture was sputtered out of the camera. Aaron pulled it out, waving the photo around a few times before showing Maggie the finished product.

Maggie couldn't help the grin that came on her face as she glanced at the photo. The young couple looked so happy together, and so full of life. They looked like they were ready for a long future together, both smiling happily. Maggie had to admit that she and Tara made a cute couple.

Maggie took a few more pictures of her and Tara together. One of her favorites was one where Tara was making a funny face, showing her adorable silly side.

"Alright, babe. That's enough photos for now. We gotta head out, but I'll be back in a few hours. I love you so much. Be careful," Tara said as she leaned down to give Maggie a kiss.

"You be careful out there. I love you too," Maggie grabbed Tara's shirt, bringing her down for another kiss.

"You two get a room!" Abraham joked as Tara playfully punched his shoulder.

Tara and the others headed out the front door, hoping to keep Alexandria safe for another day. Maggie watched as Tara walked down the street, disappearing from view. She collected her photos, putting them in a drawer so they wouldn't get lost.

Maggie glanced at the clock, realizing that she needed to head to Deanna's house since it was her first day back on the job after everything that had happened. Deanna had visited the other day explaining to Maggie that she wanted her to take a more leadership role in the community. Deanna was confident that Maggie would make a great leader if anything ever happened to her.

"You need me to walk with you to the Monroe house?" Carol asked, knowing that Maggie was still a bit uneasy at times.

"Yeah...that would be great," Maggie smiled as she and Carol headed out the door, and towards Deanna's house.

Meanwhile, Tara, Daryl, Rick, and Sasha were searching through the forest looking for any signs of the other ominous group. So far they had traveled miles with no signs of anything except for a few small walker herds, which they easily disposed of.

"Maybe they went somewhere else?" Sasha suggested as she held her rifle close.

"Nah...that's too easy for them. They have to be around in this forest somewhere. Only problem is, it's a big fuckin' forest so they could be anywhere," Daryl said as he looked at the ground, searching for any useful tracks.

"Maybe we should bring more people out here tomorrow. Maybe Maggie, Carol, Abe, Michonne, and some of the others can join our search. Would be easier to look through the forest in groups," Rick told the others of his idea. Tara wasn't sure if Maggie should be part of the search, knowing how dangerous the Wolves could be.

"Sounds like a good idea. Not sure if Maggie should be outside the walls, being pregnant and all," Tara said as Rick could see the concern on her face.

"It was just a suggestion. We need to focus on keepin' our new home safe," Rick replied as the others readily agreed.

Daryl led the way through the forest as they spent all afternoon searching for any clues to the Wolves' whereabouts. Coming up empty, Rick decided that they should head back home, and tell the others of their new plan. Then, Rick could look at the map, and decide where to look based on what ground had already been covered.

Rick's small group reluctantly headed back to Alexandria as the sky turned a shade of orange, indicating that night would be coming soon.

They had walked a few miles when suddenly, Daryl stopped in his tracks, signaling that someone was close. They quickly hid behind a few trees before a group of three men came into view. Tara could see that they all had a 'W' carved on their foreheads.

"Alright...we ambush them. Pressure them to tell us where the rest of their group is. If they don't tell, we kill them. All agree?" Rick whispered as his group all agreed to the plan.

"Let's get these fuckers," Daryl glared at the men who were busy trying to build a fire, not paying attention to their surroundings at all.

"Alright...on the count of three. One...two...three!" Rick counted down as all four of them jumped from their hiding spot, guns raised at the strange men.

"Drop your weapons," Tara demanded as the men did what they were told, placing their guns onto the dirt ground. The strangers weren't stupid, knowing that they were outmanned and outgunned.

"Now kneel," Rick ordered as the men followed directions, glaring at the group in front of them in the process. All of the men had dirty faces, and their clothes were caked with mud and dirt.

"Tell us where the rest of your group is. The Wolves. How many are there? Firepower?" Rick raised his revolver in one of the man's face, letting him know that he was serious.

The man scoffed. "You think I'm gonna tell you anythin'? I ain't tellin' you shit! I already know that you're gonna kill us, so fuck you. But I'll tell you this...we're planning a massive attack on your gated community. If I were you, I would make sure that everyone is armed cuz they're comin' for y'all soon. Real soon."

Suddenly, the man cackled with laughter as Rick looked at his friends, confused. The man's companions also joined in on the laughter like there was some kind of inside joke between them.

"You ain't gonna tell us anymore?" Daryl demanded, his crossbow in the man's face.

"Nah...Robin Hood. You'll figure out in due time what we have planned for you. It's just a bit of a surprise," the dirty man flashed a malicious smile.

The men's laughter filled the woods, sounding almost insane. "You better be prepared! It's comin' a lot sooner than you fuckin' think!"

Rick's group listened to the maniacal laughter until finally Tara had had enough of these men and their games. She pulled out her firearm, marching up to the man, firing a bullet into his brain, stopping his laughter completely.

Daryl took her lead, shooting an arrow into one of the men's head, dropping him to the ground. Rick drove his knife into the last man's skull, the long blade becoming stuck in the bone.

"Sorry, but he wasn't sayin' shit and his fuckin' laugh was annoying me," Tara apologized as the rest of her friends agreed with the action she had taken.

"So now what are we gonna do?" Sasha asked, eyeing the dead bodies that were piled at their feet.

"We're gonna talk to Deanna and tell her what we just found out. I'm gonna try to convince her that everyone needs to be armed and learn how to protect themselves. She might resist at first, but we need to be ready for anythin'," Rick laid out their next plan, knowing it was only a matter of time before Alexandria was attacked.

"Also, we'll be sure to have lookouts on the fence at all times. We need to be prepared. The threats are comin' our way. Let's get home," Rick led the way, leaving the dead bodies of their enemies where they had fallen.

The foursome made their way to back to Alexandria surrounded by quietness. They were lost in their own thoughts as they each evaluated the dangerous threats that were coming to harm their loved ones.

* * *

Rick, Sasha, Tara, and Daryl finally saw the gates of Alexandria, happy that everything still seemed to be peaceful and quiet. Spencer opened the gate once he spotted them, smiling sadly as his friends piled into the community.

"Hey, man. How are you holding up?" Tara asked, knowing that Spencer was heartbroken over the loss of his father.

"I'm doin' about as good as I can after everything that happened. But I'll be alright after some time passes," Spencer smiled as Tara gave him a quick hug.

"Keep it up, man. If you ever need anything just let me know," Tara replied as the young man gave her an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, man," Spencer pulled Tara into another hug, patting her back. Over the last few weeks, Tara and the younger Monroe had become close friends during the night watches they had together. Usually, Tara and Spencer both got bored since nothing happened so they would talk about whatever came up.

"Tara! Come on!" Daryl yelled to Tara so they could talk to Deanna about the new information they had discovered.

Tara flashed Spencer a smile before joining Daryl. The best friends followed behind Sasha and Rick as they made their way to the Monroe house. Rick opened the door as they piled into the living room where Deanna was sitting on the couch with Maggie. Morgan was leaning against the wall, arms across his chest. Deanna quickly wiped away her tears, patting Maggie's knee as she looked up at the visitors.

Tara couldn't help but feel so proud of Maggie, and the progress that she had made in the past few weeks. Tara knew that not a lot of people could cope with what Maggie had been through, but slowly her wife was getting better. Tara knew that Maggie would never be one hundred percent normal after everything, but she was pulling through.

She gave Maggie a small smile as Rick stepped forward, explaining what had happened in the forest just a few short hours ago. Rick told Deanna about what the unknown man had warned, and it was just a matter of time before Alexandria was attacked by the Wolves.

"Who knows how long we have? Weeks? Days? Maybe even hours. But we need to make sure that everyone is prepared cuz anythin' could happen. I know you're not gonna like this, but I think everyone that wants a gun should be allowed to carry one. We can teach y'all how to fight and shoot. Sasha, Daryl, and Tara can show your residents how to shoot and use guns," Rick explained as Deanna stood up and looked out the window. She found it hard to believe that Alexandria could be in danger of an upcoming attack, but so far, Rick and his group hadn't let her down so she had no reason to not trust them.

"Alright...we'll do this your way, Rick. I'll let the residents know that they are allowed to be armed, and to be prepared for anything that might happen. I'll also let everyone know that shooting lessons are available," Deanna made her way back to the couch, sitting down before continuing her small speech.

"Let's hope that we have weeks to prepare for this threat. But I have a feeling that we won't be so lucky," Deanna remarked as she glanced up at the group in front of her.

"Well, no matter what happens, we'll make sure that Alexandria is left standin' when everything is said and done," Rick promised as Deanna gave him a hopeful smile.

"Let us hope we're that lucky," Deanna said in an ominous voice, making eye contact with Rick.

Tara felt the feeling of dread come over her again as the meeting ended. The others left the room, heading to the front door. Tara stood in the hallway, waiting to talk to her wife for a few minutes before she left. Maggie stood up, walking up to her, smiling. Tara couldn't help but notice how much Maggie was glowing from the pregnancy. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Hey, I'll be home in a couple of hours. Deanna's still a mess, and I need to make sure she comes back from what happened to Reg. The people need to see her remain strong," Maggie hugged Tara tight, missing her since she had been away practically all day.

"Take your time, babe. I'll just be at the house, cleaning my guns. I'll make sure to get one for you, also. I want you to carry a gun on you at all times," Tara said, wrapping her arms around Maggie's waist, not wanting to let go.

"I love you," Maggie whispered as she leaned over, kissing Tara's lips softly.

"I love you, too," Tara replied, giving Maggie another passionate kiss.

Maggie reluctantly pulled away from Tara's loving embrace, making her way back into the living room with Deanna. Tara watched Maggie for a few seconds before she walked to the front door, letting herself out.

Tara slowly walked back to the house, lost in her own thoughts. The quiet and peacefulness of the day hid the dangers that were beyond the walls. She hoped that they would be able to deal with the Wolves without any casualties , but she knew they wouldn't be that lucky. They never were.

She made her way into the house where Carol was busy in the kitchen. Carol smiled at Tara before going into the dining room. A few seconds passed before she reemerged with an automatic rifle and a handgun, handing both weapons to Tara.

"Now, we're allowed to be armed out in the open. Rick told me about what happened in the forest. We need to be ready for anything," Carol said as Tara placed the guns on the counter.

Tara surprised them both when she pulled Carol into a hug, knowing that she needed to hear Carol make an important promise to her.

"Are you alright?" Carol questioned as she pulled out of the hug. Tara shook her head, not sure how to explain what she was feeling.

"I just have a feeling that I'm living on borrowed time. It's probably just me being overprotective of Maggie, but if anything does happen to me...can you promise me that you will help take care of Maggie and the baby?" Tara asked Carol, who nodded in response.

"That goes without saying. We all will be here for you and Maggie, no matter what happens. Now quit scaring me...I don't think I can handle losing anyone else, especially after Beth and Noah," Carol couldn't help but give Tara another hug, and a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, it's probably just me being dumb," Tara laughed as she grabbed her guns, starting the process of cleaning both of them, and loading up the weapons with bullets.

Tara spent the next couple of hours inspecting her guns, and making sure that they were in working order. When Rosita came home with Abraham, Tara shared a quick beer with them as they all shared funny stories, enjoying their time together. Maggie came home not too long afterwards, joining in the party, and helping Carol with dinner. Soon, the rest of their family piled into the house even though they hadn't had dinner together for over a week. It was almost as if all of them knew that a big change would be happening soon, and they all wanted to spend as much time as they could together.

For one night, the family wanted to forget all the threats in the world, and just savor the left over time that they had together. Tara drank a couple of more bottles of beer, laughing with Daryl about some funny story. Maggie was sitting comfortably in Tara's lap, secretly loving how Tara's laugh felt against her.

"So when are you guys gonna tell us what names you're thinking for our little one?" Rosita asked, wanting to know what her future niece or nephew would be called.

"We'll let you guys know soon. I promise," Maggie grinned, rubbing her baby bump. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks as everyone became alarmed.

"Are you okay?" Carol stood up, frantically making her way to Maggie.

Maggie couldn't stop the tears that were falling, making everyone's worry grow tenfold. Tara wasn't sure what was wrong with Maggie, but she became anxious about the baby's health.

"I'm fine! I'm fine! The baby kicked! I felt it!" Maggie excitedly cried as everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"The baby kicked?!" Tara could barely contain her excitement as she placed her hand on Maggie's baby bump, waiting. A couple of seconds passed before Tara let out an excited laugh.

"Holy shit! The baby kicked! I felt her kick!" Tara couldn't hold in her excitement as she pulled Maggie in for a sloppy kiss, happy beyond belief.

"Looks like you have yourself a lil' soccer player," Abraham beamed as Rosita, Carol, Sasha, and Michonne all waited to feel the baby kick, squealing happily when they felt it.

"Hell, yeah! I'm gonna teach my kiddo to play soccer, football, and basketball. I can't wait," Tara grinned as Daryl patted her shoulder in congrats.

Tara held Maggie close, letting her hands stroke Maggie's sides and legs, feeling the reaction that Maggie had to her touch. She felt Maggie shiver against her, knowing that her wife was getting turned on from her light touches.

Maggie turned to glance at Tara, giving her a look that she knew well. Tara knew that Maggie wanted her, and Tara was happy to give into her wife's demands.

"Alright, guys. We're gonna head up to bed now," Tara said as Maggie stood up, off her lap. Abraham gave them a knowing grin, figuring out what they were really up to.

"Yeah...you're gonna go make your daily deposit," Abraham laughed as Tara playfully punched him a couple of times.

"Have fun!" Rosita called to the young couple as they made their way upstairs, and into their bedroom.

* * *

Tara barely had time to shut the door before Maggie pounced on her, colliding their lips together, fighting for dominance. Tara won the small struggle as she pushed Maggie against the door, lightly biting on Maggie's collarbone.

Maggie pushed Tara back a bit, wrapping her arms around Tara's neck as she bit her lip, causing Tara to lose all coherent thoughts. Tara pulled Maggie close, their lips meeting again in another passionate kiss.

Tara walked Maggie so that her back was against the wall of the room, and slowly trailed her fingers from Maggie's hip, under her shirt to the underside of her breasts. Tara deepened the kiss a little, and then slowly cupped Maggie's breast in her hand, thumbing Maggie's nipple through her top.

"You're not wearing a bra," Tara said in an astonished voice, looking down and seeing Maggie's nipples through her blouse.

"No," Maggie said in a husky voice, "I'm not." She was very glad that she had been running late that morning and forgot to put one on. Maggie looked up at Tara, kissing her jaw. Framing Tara's face with her hands, she kissed Tara with all the passion she possessed.

Tara wasted no time as she unbuttoned Maggie's jeans, and pulled them off. Tara bent to catch Maggie's knee and drew Maggie's leg over her hip, which put Maggie in direct contact with her rock hard member. Maggie gasped at the feeling; loving how Tara felt against her. That gasp spurred Tara on, and she slid her hand from Maggie's breast to her collarbone, up her throat and into her hair, ravishing Maggie's mouth all the while.

When Tara finally pulled back, Maggie was panting, full of desire. Tara ground her hips against Maggie, rubbing her hard cock against Maggie, feeling her throbbing cock grow larger with each passing second.

"Tara, I want..." Maggie gasped, not sure what she wanted. She was just sure that she was going to explode with pleasure.

"I know," Tara panted, "I know what you want." Tara unbuckled her belt and unzipped her jeans. "I want it too."

Letting Maggie's leg fall, Tara ran both hands up her thighs until she reached her black lacy panties. Within seconds, Maggie's panties were ripped and lying on the floor.

Tara let her jeans fall before grabbing Maggie's hips and lifting her up against the wall. Instinctively, Maggie wrapped her legs around Tara's waist as Tara thrusted her full length into Maggie's wet pussy.

Maggie cried out as Tara plunged deep inside of her, feeling a bit of pain from Tara's large size. Tara pulled back, looking into Maggie's eyes, seeing some pain and pleasure there, and started to pull out. Maggie could feel Tara's retreat and instinctively started to move her hips. She didn't want Tara to stop.

"I don't want to hurt you," Tara panted, trying to fight the instinct to surge inside her again.

"You're not. It feels good now. Please, Tara," Maggie pleaded, grinding her hips again, and grabbing Tara's head to bring Tara's mouth back to hers.

Tara pulled out and thrust into Maggie again, and then with Maggie wrapped around her, Tara lowered them both to the floor. When Maggie was under her, Tara started to move in and out of Maggie slowly, while she held on.

Maggie gasped in wonder; making Tara want to touch her all over. Tara peeled Maggie's top off before lowering her mouth to Maggie's succulent breast. Tara sucked one nipple then the other, blowing cool streams of air over them. When Maggie shivered, Tara thrust into her again.

"Tara...faster," Maggie whispered, feeling pleasure building within her body.

Tara pulled back and obeyed, moving her hips faster, feeling Maggie's pussy contract around her. Maggie held onto Tara's waist, raising her head up to kiss Tara's neck and shoulders. Tara thrust into Maggie over and over again, feeling how tight and wet Maggie was.

"Oh god, Tara! You feel so good inside of me," Maggie moaned as she held Tara close, running her hands all over Tara's back.

Tara plunged deeper into Maggie as she felt that amazing feeling of Maggie's pussy vibrating around her throbbing cock. Maggie pulled Tara close as she came, screaming out Tara's name over and over again, waves of intense bliss invading her body as her orgasm took over.

With one last push, Tara allowed herself to cum inside of Maggie, feeling her cock explode with pleasure. Tara could feel the mixture of her cum and Maggie's wetness all over her cock, knowing that some of it was spilling out of Maggie's pussy, and onto the floor beneath them.

All the strength left Tara's body as she collapsed on top of Maggie, her heart racing. Maggie held her tight, wanting Tara to stay inside for a little while longer, not ready to feel the void just yet.

Tara pulled herself up, glancing down at Maggie, taking in the beauty of the woman underneath her. Maggie felt herself blush under Tara's intense stare.

"What?" Maggie whispered, smiling.

"Nothing. You're just so beautiful. I love you so much," Tara leaned down, giving Maggie an intense kiss.

"I love you, too," Maggie grinned, feeling the baby kick once again. "The baby is kickin' again."

Tara beamed as she placed her hand on Maggie's stomach, feeling the baby kick. Tara kissed her way to Maggie's stomach, placing a few soft kisses on it.

"I love you so much too, baby. Don't worry, I'll always be here to protect you and your mommy. You both are the most important people in the world to me," Tara whispered to the baby, who kicked a few times in response.

"She liked that," Maggie laughed as Tara grinned, feeling the baby kick some more.

Maggie let out a surprise yelp as she felt Tara pick her up off the floor, and carry her to the bed. Tara gently laid Maggie down on the soft mattress before laying beside her. Maggie cuddled up into Tara's side, loving how warm her embrace felt.

After a few minutes, Maggie closed her eyes as she fell asleep, feeling peace and calm from Tara's presence. Tara kept her hand on Maggie's stomach, feeling the baby kick every so often. Finally, after a couple of hours, Tara finally fell asleep dreaming about her growing family.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tobin sat around the Alexandrian gate bored out of his mind. It was almost four in the morning, and he was glad since that meant that he would be relieved from guard duty by Sasha soon.

Tobin closed his eyes, leaning against the wall, tired. All of a sudden, he heard a loud noise outside the gate. He thought it sounded like a couple of walkers making their way through the forest. Tobin knew he should go get someone from Rick's group, but he was too tired. He was confident that he could take care of the problem by himself.

He quietly opened the gate, leaving it ajar as he went to investigate the noise. Tobin discovered that there were two walkers making their way to the gate, he raised his gun to shoot the intruders until he heard an evil laugh.

"They left you in charge of the gate? Really?" A malevolent voice said as Tobin searched for the source. Suddenly, a tall, dirty man with wild eyes and hair came into view. On his forehead, a 'W' was carved into it, and blood was caked onto his clothing. Tobin glanced behind the man, seeing that there was a group of about twenty men standing behind him. Behind, those men, a herd of about one hundred walkers were slowly making their way to the gate.

"Don't worry...you'll go easy. And there's also about forty walkers along the back wall. So your community will have a pleasant surprise to wake up to," the leader of the Wolves laughed, manically.

Tobin barely had time to respond before he was hit over the head with something hard, everything fading to black.

* * *

Suddenly, Tara was rudely awakened by a loud banging on the bedroom door. She briefly looked out the window, seeing that it was barely dawn outside. Tara quickly pulled on some clothes, making her way to the bedroom door. She glanced at Maggie to make sure that she was covered up before answering.

Daryl came into view, and Tara knew immediately that something was not right. "Tara! We're under attack! There's walkers banging against the back wall, and walkers somehow made their way into the gate. Tobin was on guard tonight, and Rick found him dead. The gate's wide open and walkers are comin' in. They're swarmin' Alexandria! We need to go!"

"Fuck! Make sure that someone stays in the house to protect Judith. I'll be right down!" Tara grabbed her guns, and frantically put on her boots.

"Tara...are we under attack!?" Maggie asked in a panic as she hurriedly got dressed, holstering the firearm that Tara had given her.

"Yes, babe. But everything will be alright. Just be sure to stay within the walls, and kill any walkers that you see. If the safe-zone gets too overrun, get out of here. I'll find you later. I promise," Tara gave Maggie a long passionate kiss, not wanting to pull away.

"I love you," Maggie said as she hugged Tara for a few seconds, not sure if she would be seeing her alive again.

"I love you, too. Be safe, baby." Tara glanced at Maggie one last time before she ran down the stairs, meeting with Daryl on the front porch.

"Rick shut the gate, but there's still a lot of walkers in Alexandria! Sasha and Abraham are gunning down the ones by the back gate! Come on!" Daryl grabbed Tara's arm as they ran into the streets that were filled with walkers, all with a 'W' carved into their faces.

The duo both went down different streets, shooting whatever walkers that came into view. Tara could hear the echo of numerous gunfire as she ran down a street filled with roamers. She didn't hesitate as she unloaded her rifle on the descending herd.

Suddenly, more gunfire was added to the mix as Tara turned towards the source, seeing Nicole shooting from her front porch. Nicole's shots gave Tara the time she needed to reload her rifle.

Afterwards, Tara ran to Nicole's porch, jumping over the railing, firing at the walkers that were trying to get onto the front porch.

"Nicole! Go back inside before the walkers get drawn to sound and lock your door!" Tara yelled as Nicole nodded, listening to the instructions as she quickly made her way back into the house after hugging Tara for a few rushed seconds, kissing her cheek.

Tara made sure that Nicole had safely locked the door before jumping over the porch railing again.

"Hey fuckers! Over here!" Tara yelled to distract the walkers away from Nicole's house, drawing them back into the street. Tara guessed that about twenty biters were vying for a piece of her flesh at that moment.

She waited until the herd was back on the sidewalk before she fired at the walkers, killing most of them instantly. Suddenly, a pained scream filled the air, forcing Tara to turn around. She spotted a townsman up ahead, being ripped apart by a couple of walkers, his guts hanging out of his torn body.

Tara ran as fast as she could to the man yelling in agony. She didn't recognize him, but knew he probably didn't deserve to die in so much misery. Tara grabbed her knife, striking one of the walkers in the head, killing it instantly. The other roamer lunged at her, almost getting a handful of her shirt. Tara kicked the offending creature away before grabbing its collar, plunging her knife's blade into its eye.

Tara looked down at the walker bodies, breathing heavily, her body wanting a quick rest. Instead, she ran to the man who was barely clinging to life as he looked up to her.

"Please help..." The man sputtered up blood, his gun laying next to his body.

Tara grabbed the man's gun, knowing that she had to put him out of his misery. She glanced into his blue eyes for a few seconds before putting her finger on the trigger.

"I'm sorry..." Tara said as she pulled the trigger, ending the man's suffering indefinitely.

Tara took one final look at the man's body before getting back to killing as many walkers as she could. She cleared a couple of streets as the walker numbers seemed to dwindle down some. She looked down at her clothes, noticing how caked on blood and guts had ruined the fabric.

All of a sudden, there was another loud cry of agony. Tara ran as fast as she could to the source, freezing in her tracks as she took in the scene that was playing out in front of her. There was a man on the sidewalk being hacked alive by another man with an ax. The murderer glanced up at Tara, and she saw the distinctive 'W' imprinted on his face.

The Wolf brought the ax blade down into his victim's face, making him unrecognizable. He then turned to Tara, charging at her. She didn't hesitate as she fired her gun, shooting the man multiple times, killing him instantly.

Suddenly, Tara remembered that Maggie was still somewhere in the walker and Wolves infested Alexandria. She immediately ran back to the house as fast as she could. On her way back home, Tara shot a few of the Wolves, all of them carrying bloody axes. She jumped over bodies on the sidewalk that had been brutally dismembered by the Wolves' weapons. Tara didn't see anyone from her group in sight as she made her way to the front door, shooting down walkers that got in her way.

Tara rushed into the house, stopping when she spotted a strange man in the living room. On his forehead was the infamous 'W' that stood out on his dirty, muddy face. The man smiled maliciously as if he had been expecting her.

"Ahhh...finally you arrive. I've been waiting for you. Now, I got everyone that I need," the man let out a malignant laugh.

"Fuck off! Where's the rest of my group?" Tara demanded as she started to aim her rifle at the man.

"You'll see in due time," the man answered, making a motion with his hand.

Before Tara could react, she was hit on the head with something hard. She could feel herself start to pass out from the hit, blood trickling down her face. Suddenly, a hood was put over her face. The last thing that Tara thought about was Maggie as she passed out from the intense pain.

* * *

Tara felt her body being roughly dropped on the hard, dirt filled ground. The hood was still over her head, and she was in and out of consciousness, her head plagued with pain. Tara slowly opened her eyes as the hood was pulled off her head.

She tried to move her hands, but found that they were tied behind her back. Tara turned, surprised to see Rick, Daryl, Carol, Sasha, Abraham, Michonne, and Maggie all in same predicament that she was stuck in. Tara let her eyes run over Maggie's body, inspecting her for any injuries.

Tara could see the fear that was in Maggie's eyes which made her struggle against her restraints, determined to kill the bastards who had hurt her wife.

"Easy now," someone said as a few men came into view.

"Fuck you," Tara muttered, still trying to work her hands out of the thick rope that bound her arms together.

"Now, now...that's no way to talk to me, especially when your very lives may depend on it," the strange man came into view, his face dirtier than ever as he smiled.

"And who the hell are you?" Daryl asked, glaring at the Wolves that surrounded them.

"I'm Amos, leader of the Wolves. And y'all are nothin' but fuckin' trouble makers. First, you destroyed my walker pen that I worked so hard on. Then, you slaughtered three of my men in cold blood," Amos knelt down by Rick, who was kneeling and gritting his teeth in anger.

Amos turned to his men, pointing his finger at Tara. "Bring her over here, with the rest of them. I'm still deciding on who will be the lucky winner."

The henchman grabbed Tara, taking her to the end of the line where Maggie was kneeling, her heart pounding. She didn't know what these men wanted, but she had a feeling that they were out for blood.

"Kneel," the henchman ordered Tara, who simply glared at him.

"Fuck you," Tara growled, feeling her anger grow with each second that passed.

"Suit yourself," the man said as he brought a police baton across Tara's back, causing her to fall to her knees.

Tara tried to hide how much pain she was in as she glanced over at Maggie, who had a few tears running down her cheeks. Tara knew she needed to be strong for Maggie and their baby, and make sure that her family got out of this situation alive.

Amos took a look at the run down group in front of him. "You really think your walls are secure at Alexandria? Look at how easy it was for us to break in and wreak havoc on y'all. You're lucky that I was feelin' generous...I could have had thousands of walkers storm that place. Let's just say that was a trial run."

The Wolves' leader snickered as he stopped in front of Maggie, pushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. Maggie flinched under his rough touch.

"Don't touch her..." Tara threatened as she glared at Amos, ready to tear his throat out for touching Maggie.

"Temper...temper..." Amos laughed as he stood up, observing the group in front of him.

"So...here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna let y'all go because I'm a good guy, but we will attack again. And this time there'll be more walkers, and we'll hit your community so hard, you won't know what hit you. See how generous I am? I'm giving you time to prepare and at least try to make it a fair fight," Amos narrowed his eyes at Rick's group before continuing.

"You have no idea who you messed with. We know y'all are really in charge at Alexandria. We've been watchin' your community, just waiting for the right time to strike. You know how many communities we have destroyed? How many people we have slaughtered? So you best be ready when we come back," the Wolves' leader stood to his full height, motioning for one of his group members to bring him something.

"So like I said...I'm gonna let you go, but first we're gonna play a little game and one of y'all will be the lucky winner. You see...you killed three of my men in the forest the other day. Those were my friends, so you're gonna have to pay." One of the men handed Amos a bat which was covered in barbed wire spikes.

"The lucky winner gets to meet my little friend here. I call her Annabelle, and she's served me well many times," Amos lovingly rubbed the bat's handle as he marched in front of his captives, trying to decide who was going to pay the ultimate debt.

He marched up and down the line of captives, wanting to pick the perfect victim for his bloodlust.

"You don't have to do this," Rick said, sweat pouring down his face.

"And you didn't have to kill my men, but here we are," Amos argued as he continued to pace in front Rick's group.

Amos stopped in front of Maggie, his boots crunching the rocks on the ground, making a menacing sound. Tara became alarmed, trying to draw attention to herself so Amos would leave Maggie alone.

"You can't hurt her," Tara said in a panicked voice as Amos glanced at her.

"Why?" Amos asked, genuinely curious about why the young woman in front of him was so special.

"She's pregnant," Tara replied as Amos took in the new information.

"Ahhh...yes. I'm not too keen on hurtin' a pregnant woman so she's safe for now. I'm not that cruel," Amos announced as Tara breathed a sigh of relief.

Amos paced in front of his captives once again, this time stopping in front of Tara, swinging his beastly baseball bat back and forth, menacingly.

"So you willin' to take her place?" Amos asked as everyone from Rick's group looked up in alarm. Daryl tried to get up, but was restrained by a couple of Wolves. Maggie couldn't contain the tears that started to fall as she glanced over at Tara, praying beyond hope that Tara wasn't going to get hurt.

Tara could feel her heart start to race, knowing what was in store for her as Amos continued to swing the bat around. The spikes from the barbed wires shined in the sunlight, giving off a malevolent glow.

"Yes, I would take her place...in a heartbeat," Tara confirmed in a steady voice as Amos laughed wildly.

"Hmmm..." Amos simply muttered as he turned away from his prisoners.

"Kill me," Rick spoke up, willing to give his life for his friends, but Amos shook his head.

"Nah...I already know who's gonna pay, and it ain't you," Amos said, without turning around.

"You fuckin' piece of shit. I swear I'll kill you when I get my hands on you," Daryl threatened as Amos just snickered.

"I'm shivering in my boots," Amos mocked Daryl, making him more angry. Daryl tried to break free from the men who held him in place, but to no avail.

"He ain't the only one who's gonna kill you," Abraham muttered, his voice full of hate for the Wolves' leader.

"Now...now...I'm being quite generous since I'm letting most of you go. I could just kill you all and end this, but I like a challenge," Amos tried to explain his actions, even though all he wanted to do was quench his thirst for blood.

Amos paced a few more times, the intensity growing as everyone wondered who he had picked to meet their brutal death. Finally, the leader turned to one of his men, giving them the final decision.

"Bring me the one that's on the end. I know she was out with the group that killed our guys. I wanna make her suffer now," Amos ordered as a big, burly man roughly grabbed Tara, forcing her to kneel in front of her friends.

Tara glanced over at her family, seeing the look of devastation in their eyes. Maggie was practically sobbing, not wanting to face the thought of a world without Tara.

"Please...please..don't hurt her!" Maggie pleaded as Amos just shook his head.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. She took your place," the leader simply shrugged his shoulders as he swung the bat around.

Tara looked Maggie in the eyes, wishing she could comfort her one last time. "Maggie, listen. No matter what happens, be strong for our baby. I will always be there with you...if you ever get lonely just think about me and I'll be there. The others will help you with everything. Just know that I love you more than anything. And I've always loved you, ever since I first laid eyes on you."

"I love you, too," Maggie sobbed, tears rushing down her beautiful face.

"Ahhh...young love. Always ends so tragically though," Amos commented as Daryl tried to get his attention.

"Take me, man! Kill me instead! She's got a wife, and kid on the way!" Daryl was close to tears as he glanced at Tara, not wanting to believe that his best friend was so close to death's door.

"That's what makes it so much better, and noble. She's givin' up her life to save her wife and kid. Quite brave actually," Amos let out another wild laugh as he stood behind Tara, bat in his hands, ready to strike her in the head.

Tara took one last look at her family. Daryl, Rick, and Abraham were trying to fight the men that were restraining them, stray tears falling down their cheeks, knowing that ultimately nothing could be done. Carol, Sasha, and Michonne were sobbing, forcing themselves to watch what was about to take place, not believing that Tara was about to be taken away from them so brutally.

Tara glanced at Maggie, seeing tears cascade down her cheeks. Tara felt a few tears leave the corner of her eyes, knowing that she wouldn't be able to comfort Maggie anymore, and that there would be no more hugs or kisses. Tara could feel the emotions get the best of her as she realized that she would never get to meet their child, or watch their daughter grow up. Maggie gazed into those brown eyes that she loved so much, wanting the moment to last as long as it possibly could.

Tara's short life flashed before her eyes, the happy moments most prominent. Maggie had changed her life in so many ways; Tara was so grateful that she had the opportunity to know and love Maggie. She glanced into those green eyes, knowing that this would be her last time gazing into them. The thought nearly made her cry, but she kept her composure.

"It'll be okay. Don't be afraid. I'll always be right beside you," Tara whispered to Maggie, composing herself so Amos wouldn't get the satisfaction of seeing her break down.

Amos moved closer to her, the bat swung up in the air, ready to strike Tara in the head as hard as it possibly could. Tara gazed at her loved ones, saying a silent goodbye to their tearful faces. She glanced at Maggie, silently telling her how much she loved her. Finally, Tara closed her eyes, waiting for the impact of the bat, hearing it swing forcefully behind her...

* * *

Ohmygod! The day I thought would never come is almost here! This story is almost over...like next chapter is the last one! It's gone how I always planned it, but just a warning...next chapter might be pretty sad, but it will probably be kinda long. Please don't hate me! Hate the muse! She makes me do these things...

But thank you all so much for all your reviews, and for sticking with me through all of this. And don't worry..even tho this story is ending soon, I still got a couple of more in progress and I'm sure I'll think of more, so y'all are stuck with me for a long time...lucky y'all lol.

This chapter's song is "Run" by Snow Patrol...it's an amazing song that you should listen to. :)

Oh! How did y'all like the new episode that came on last week? My shipper heart could hardly contain all my excitement with those Tara/Maggie moments. :)


	28. One Sweet Day

Warning: Major character death :'(

* * *

Tara was on her knees, waiting nervously for the first strike of the barbed wire covered bat. Amos lowered the bat, wanting to torture the group a little more with the unnerving anticipation. She glanced one more time at her loved ones, and wished that she had kept her eyes shut. Everyone had tears in their eyes, knowing that they were about to lose someone they all loved. Maggie was sobbing the hardest, inconsolable as she looked into Tara's brown eyes one last time.

Maggie. Tara could barely look at her without wanting to break down, not wanting to say goodbye just yet. Maggie had been the only thing Tara had done right in her life, and now she was about to be ripped away.

"It'll be alright. Be strong for our baby and family. I'll always be beside you even if you can't hear my voice, or feel me around. I love you so much, Maggie Greene," Tara choked out as she held her tears back.

"I love you so much, Tara," Maggie sobbed as she tried to make her way to Tara, just wanting one last touch. Amos' men restrained her though, ready for the bloodshed to begin.

"Enough with the long goodbyes," Amos muttered as he forcefully swung the bat once again. The sound that came next was deafening as a loud crack was produced when the bat finally made contact with Tara's skull.

The first blow to Tara's head hurt more than anything, and she could feel the blood start to cascade down her face, and saw that her blood had ricocheted all over her friends. She could vaguely hear Amos laughing as he brought the bat up once again. Tara wasn't sure what damage had been caused, but she was pretty sure her skull had been fractured. Tara made sure to keep looking at the ground so her loved ones couldn't see the extent of her injuries or how gruesome it looked. The first blow had numbed the pain a bit as the second strike hit her hard. Tara could feel herself start to slip away, almost hoping that she would die soon so the pain would disappear completely.

"I...love...you, Maggie," Tara sputtered out before a third blow hit her again on the skull, silencing her.

Everyone watched in horror as Tara's body fell to the ground, still breathing but in obvious pain. Amos walked around the camp, wanting Tara to suffer for a few minutes before killing her. Rick pleaded with the man to stop Tara's suffering, but he just smiled in response, taking his sweet time. Finally, Amos raised the bat again before bringing it down for a fourth time. Tara shut her eyes, and knew that she was dying. Her last coherent thoughts were of Maggie, and how much she loved her. Finally, Tara took her last breath filled with agony, allowing herself to slip away from her loved ones.

Daryl was trying to fight against the men who were holding him back, tears running down his face, not believing that he was witnessing the beating death of his best friend. Maggie tried to make her way to Tara, but was held by two men, who deliberately held her body close to theirs. Rick could barely handle what he was seeing, his body filling with anger and rage.

Amos walked up to the group, swinging the bat around that was covered in Tara's blood, grinning evilly at his restrained captives. He took great pleasure in seeing how broken down they had become at the demise of their friend.

"I'm pretty sure she's dead, but why don't we make sure?" Amos said in a calm voice before he relentlessly brought the bat down onto Tara's body again and again.

"I'm gonna kill you, you worthless piece of shit," Rick threatened, in tears, as Amos just snickered like he had told some great joke.

"Don't worry, we'll meet again. Just be sure you're prepared for the force I'm gonna bring," Amos grinned, showing all of his teeth, looking like a predator.

Amos observed the damage he had done, knowing that he had hurt the group in one of the worst ways possible. He made a motion for his men to let the captives go since he way done toying with them for now.

"Let them go. Besides, we'll be seeing them again soon. Oh, and we're just gonna go ahead and keep your weapons and guns. Maybe this will teach you to fuck with me," Amos' men let Rick's group free, cutting their binds and letting them fall to the floor.

Daryl pushed the henchmen that were latched to his arms off as he ran to Tara. He dropped to his knees, trying to look for a pulse, but knew it was useless. Tara was really gone this time. His best friend was dead, and there was no coming back.

Daryl let the tears fall as he held Tara close, not caring that he was getting his clothes full of her blood. As soon as she was free, Maggie raced to Tara's side. She fell to her knees as grief took over her trembling body, knowing that the love of her was no longer alive. The rest of the group stood in utter disbelief, grief written all over their faces as they tried to face what had just transpired.

"We'll see you soon," Amos' evil voice said calmly as his men retreated into the woods, following him. He stepped over the body on the ground as he swung the ominous bat freely, disappearing into the forest, leaving Rick's shattered group behind.

All that could be heard in the forest was the sound of Maggie wailing, crying so hard that her body shook in despair. She reached out, holding onto Tara's hand, never wanting to let go. Maggie wanted Tara to get up, she just wanted one more hug, kiss, anything. She couldn't believe that her sweet Tara was gone forever, the shock still taking ahold of her fragile body.

Rick stared at the lifeless body of his friend, not believing that his family had suffered another loss. He knew this one would hurt for a long time since Tara had been loved by everyone, and Maggie was carrying her baby which would be a constant reminder of their loss. Rick felt like he had just lost his best friend, remembering all the times that Tara had been by his side.

"We need to get back to Alexandria. They might need help," Rick forced himself to say as he wiped a few tears away.

"We...can't just...leave her here," Maggie said through heartbreaking sobs. Carol and Sasha were at her side, holding her close, their shirts soaked with her tears.

"No...we're takin' Tara home. I promise," Rick sighed sadly as he looked around for something to wrap the body in.

"I think there's a tarp or something hanging from a tree," Michonne pointed out to an object that was stuck in the branches of a nearby tree. She glanced at the lifeless body on the ground, still in shock over losing a friend in such a brutal way.

"I'll go get it," Abraham needed to step away from the group for a minute so he could try to compose himself. He wiped his tears away as he made his way to the tarp.

"Fuckin' son of a bitch," Abraham muttered to himself as a few sobs shook his stout body.

"I didn't realize losin' you would be this hard," Abraham glanced up briefly at the sky before he pulled the tarp out of the tree, not prepared at all to wrap Tara's body in it.

Abraham stood silent for a few seconds before the safety of Alexandria crossed his mind. He jogged his way back to the rest of his family. Rick's group were all still in disbelief as they stood around Tara, tears falling down their faces.

Rick grabbed the tarp from Abraham, kneeling down by Tara, not believing that he was going to have to wrap her body up. He definitely didn't envision the day ending like this when he had first heard of the attack on the safe zone.

"I'll help," Daryl forced himself to his feet, walking to the broken body of his best friend. Maggie still had a firm hold on Tara's hand which was still warm.

"Come on, Maggie. We need to get her back home," Carol tried to get Maggie to let go of Tara's hand.

"I can't leave her!" Maggie sobbed, crying so hard her shoulders shook.

"We aren't leaving her. She coming home with us. We promise," Carol replied through her own tears as she and Sasha had to forcefully pull Maggie away from the lifeless body.

Rick and Daryl gently picked up Tara, laying her carefully on the tarp. They wrapped her body up, and Abraham pushed them both out of the way.

"I'm gonna carry her back," Abraham demanded, and no one argued with him.

"Let's head back quick! They may still be under attack!" Rick led the way with Daryl close behind. They both knew that Tara would want the group to make sure Alexandria was safe from danger.

Maggie could barely get herself to walk, but found the strength with encouragement from Carol and Michonne. Maggie knew that everyone was hurting, but they needed to make sure their home was safe.

The group made their way as fast as they could back to Alexandria. When they finally arrived, the gate was shut, and no one was standing guard. Rick pounded on the gate with his fist, ready to kill some Wolves after what they had taken from his group.

"It's Rick! We're here!" Rick yelled as Spencer scrambled to open the gate.

"We were worried about you guys. What happened?" Spencer asked.

"We got kidnapped by the Wolves," Daryl simply replied as Deanna, Rosita, Nicole, and other townspeople met them at the gate.

Rick sighed. "How many causalities?"

"Fifty? Maybe more? We can't really tell who's who since some people got their heads bashed in or chopped up. But all the walkers and Wolves that were in here are dead now," Deanna informed Rick's group with sadness in her voice as Spencer noticed the tarp on Abraham's shoulder.

"Who's that?" Spencer asked. Daryl let out a sad sigh as tears started to fall again.

"Tara. She got beat to death by the Wolves' leader as a warnin' to the rest of us," Rick sadly told the others, not able to keep the emotions out of his voice.

Nicole and Rosita both gasped, not quite believing what they had just heard. They didn't want to believe that Tara was really wrapped away in that cold tarp.

"No...Abraham...no! That can't be Tara!" Rosita burst into tears as Nicole tried to hold hers back, but failed miserably.

"It's her. We saw it. Saw that fucker bash her head in, and couldn't do shit 'bout it!" Daryl cried, punching the wall behind him several times until Carol placed her hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Tara's gone?" Spencer asked in disbelief. He couldn't imagine the thought of losing someone else he had cared so much about.

Spencer went to where Abraham was standing, needing to see for himself that Tara was under the tarp. As he went to uncover her head, Rick stopped him, placing his hand gently on Spencer's arm.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. She got bashed in pretty good...she's barely recognizable. You don't wanna remember her like that. Believe me," Rick explained as Spencer just gave him a shocked look before tears took over.

"Oh, Maggie..." Deanna immediately wrapped her arms around the younger woman, who was still sobbing, her eyes red from all the tears. Deanna stroked Maggie's back in a comforting, motherly manner, although, it didn't help much.

Nicole glanced at the tarp that held the body of one of the most sweetest and strongest persons she had ever known. She couldn't imagine what Maggie must have been going through, especially being pregnant.

Rick glanced around at his devastated group, knowing that things would never be the same for them. Tara had been taken away so cruelly, and way too soon. He could feel the anger course through his veins as he remembered the exact moment of her death, and how gruesome it had been to watch.

"The Wolves are comin' back, and they're gonna try to destroy Alexandria, but we're not gonna let that happen. We're gonna fight back, and we're gonna extract our revenge for this brutal attack. We lost so many friends and loved ones today, no one was left unaffected. My group lost one of our own and it's a loss that'll sting forever. I promise you this...we'll kill every last one of those bastards," Rick continued to give the people his short speech which fired everyone up, making the townspeople want to take action for the malicious attack.

"Today, we'll bury and mourn our losses. Tomorrow, we prepare for war," Rick ended his speech as everyone went about the sad business of identifying and burying the countless dead.

Rosita was still crying as Abraham began to take the body to the safe zone graveyard. Maggie ran after him, not wanting Tara to be taken away.

"Please...don't take her away," Maggie sobbed as she tried to grab Tara's hand again, needing that physical connection before it was lost forever.

"They need to bury her, Maggie..." Carol and Rosita both held their best friend close, slowly leading her to the house. Sasha and Michonne followed close behind since they knew Maggie needed all the support she could get right now.

Abraham, Rick, and Daryl watched as the small group led a grief-stricken Maggie away. They could barely stop the tears that fell down their cheeks as Abraham slowly walked to the graveyard with the other two men in tow.

* * *

The three men arrived at the makeshift graveyard with their friend's body. Abraham gently laid Tara down before grabbing a shovel to start digging.

"I'll dig the grave. She was my best friend...I need to do this. You can make the cross," Daryl insisted as he took the shovel from Abraham. The red head didn't argue as he went to the nearby wood shop to start making the cross.

With a heavy heart, Daryl started to dig at the earth, the ground soft under the blade of his shovel. Rick grabbed another shovel that had been discarded, and started to help Daryl with the sad process.

"When we get to Amos...he's mine," Daryl muttered, glancing at the bundle of tarp.

"When we get to that fucker, he's gonna pay. He's not gonna get away with what he did," Rick promised as they continued on with their task.

After they dug out the grave, Daryl bent by the body, slipping off Tara's wedding ring. He slipped the ring into his pocket, intent on giving it to Maggie later.

"Maggie's probably gonna want Tara's weddin' ring. I know it meant a lot to her," Daryl could feel the tears start again as he wiped them away.

The two men gently lowered Tara's body into the grave. They took one last look at their best friend before they started to toss the cold dirt back into the hole, their hearts empty. Finally, the newest grave was finished as Abraham arrived back with a wooden cross.

"I carved Tara's name on it so when her youngun comes to visit her, they'll know which one is hers," Abraham sighed as he placed the cross at the head of the grave.

The three men gazed at the gravesite, still not comprehending that their friend was buried six feet under. Tara had almost seemed invincible at times, but losing her sent them crashing back into reality. No one was truly safe anymore in this cruel world.

"Let's head back," Rick sighed as he touched the cross, glancing at Tara's name on it before making his way back to the house followed by the others.

Meanwhile, Maggie climbed up the stairs to her bedroom, needing to be alone for awhile. She walked into her and Tara's room, overwhelmed with how much of Tara's presence that was still lingering around.

She spotted one of Tara's plaid shirts that had been carelessly tossed onto the floor the night before. Maggie picked up the shirt, fresh tears streaming from her eyes when she realized that the fabric still had Tara's distinct scent. She collapsed on the bed, holding the shirt close since that was her only connection to Tara now.

Maggie moved so that she was laying on Tara's side of the bed, savoring how the pillow and sheets smelled of Tara. Tears fell down her face, soaking the pillow beneath her head as she weakly wrapped her arms around her body. Maggie realized that never again would she feel Tara's strong arms around her. Never again would she see that goofy smile that she had loved so much or hear Tara's voice.

Suddenly, Maggie felt the baby kick which made her cry even harder, sobs rattling her weak frame. Maggie realized that Tara would never meet their baby. She wouldn't be there for the birth, first steps, birthdays, late night feedings, nothing. Her baby had been robbed of knowing Tara, and Maggie couldn't believe that she was not only a widow again, but also a single parent.

Maggie let her hand wander to her stomach as she tried to control the sobs that quaked her body. She missed Tara so much that it physically hurt, and she felt so hollow inside. She felt like all of this was a horrible nightmare, and that Tara would stroll through the door, alive and well. Maggie knew that was just wishful thinking, and her soulmate was really gone, never to come home again.

Her heart felt shattered and torn apart, and she couldn't face the reality of never seeing Tara again so she closed her tired eyes. Maggie had always thought they would have more time together, but now it was too late to hold Tara and tell her everything she had ever wanted to say. At least in her dreams, Tara would be by her side, safe and unharmed from this atrocious world.

Maggie kept her eyes shut, cuddling into Tara's spot, wishing that Tara's warm embrace was next to her instead of the cold, empty space. Her eyes hurt from crying so much, but she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to stop. How was she supposed to move on when the love of her life was gone? How was she supposed to function day by day without Tara's love and support? How was she going to have a baby all by herself?

Those thoughts brought more tears cascading down her delicate face as she clutched the plaid shirt closer to her face, taking in Tara's comforting scent. Maggie just wanted to wallow in her grief, and forget the world, forget everything.

Suddenly, Maggie remembered the pictures she and Tara had taken the day before with the old Polaroid camera. She immediately jumped out of bed, quickly making her way downstairs, much to the surprise of everyone in the house.

Daryl, Rick, and the others were seated around the living room, quiet except for the sounds of a few tears. Carl wiped his tears away as he held Judith close. Abraham was trying to console a sobbing Rosita, even though all he wanted to do was break down himself. The void could be felt within the family as they glanced at the empty recliner where Tara usually sat. Daryl sat with Carol, staring at the carpeted floor, empty on the inside, stray tears falling every time he thought of his friend.

They all watched as Maggie glanced at them briefly before making her way to the kitchen. Maggie frantically pulled out drawers, searching for the pictures she had carelessly put up in the morning rush. Maggie searched and searched, afraid that she had lost her treasured pictures. Tears flowed from her eyes when she finally found the photos.

Maggie lightly touched the photos that captured a happier moment in time. One where Tara was still with her, and they were so ecstatic and excited about the future with their baby. Maggie gazed at Tara's smile, one that she already missed so much. She looked at all the photos, crying because they reminded her of what she had lost. Maggie had lost her future, her heart, her everything just a few short hours ago.

"Are you alright?" Rosita asked, even though they both knew Maggie was far from okay.

"I'm not alright. I don't think I ever will be normal again," Maggie sighed as she wiped her tears away.

"I know," Rosita replied as she knelt down by Maggie, hugging her tight.

Maggie held onto Rosita for a few minutes, both of them trying to comfort one another through their tears. Rosita let go, sitting beside Maggie, leaning against the counters.

"I really loved that goofball and her stupid jokes," Rosita let out a tiny laugh.

"She loved you, too. You meant a lot to her," Maggie smiled briefly before glancing at the photos again.

The two distraught women sat in silence for a little while longer before Rosita stood up, bending down to help Maggie to her feet. The two hugged for a long time, taking what little comfort they could from each other.

"Whatever you need, just let us know," Rosita rubbed Maggie's back in a soothing manner.

"Thank you," Maggie whispered, barely audible.

Maggie gave Rosita another hug before she made her way into the living room. She glanced briefly at Tara's empty recliner, remembering how they had felt the baby kick just a few days prior. Maggie pushed the thought away as she made her way to Daryl, handing him a photo.

"I thought you might want this," Maggie said as Daryl accepted the picture, gazing at the lost memory.

In the photo, Daryl and Tara were posing with their weapons of choice, both with a serious look on their face, ready to kick some ass. Daryl let a small smile cross his face as he looked over the photo. He remembered how he didn't want to take the picture, but Maggie kept insisting. Now, Daryl was glad that he had listened since he had a small memory of Tara left. It was better than nothing, after all.

"Thanks," Daryl stood up, enveloping Maggie in his arms as they both cried, the others looking on.

Suddenly, Daryl remembered the wedding ring as he searched his pockets for the piece of jewelry. He finally found it in his front pocket, handing the precious ring to Maggie.

"It's Tara's weddin' ring. I thought you would want it," Daryl sadly said as Maggie teared up again.

"This means so much, Daryl," Maggie couldn't contain the tears as she hugged the rugged man again.

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as they all watched Maggie put the ring on the necklace she was wearing so it would be close to her heart at all times. Maggie gave the teary-eyed group one last glance before she retreated back to her room to be alone again.

Maggie shut the door behind her as she collapsed onto the bed once again, snuggling on Tara's side. She looked through the photos, tracing her fingers over Tara's smile. Maggie didn't know how she was going to live without seeing Tara's smile everyday.

She sighed sadly as she held the photos close, shutting her eyes, hoping that images of Tara's gruesome death wouldn't fill her mind. Finally, after crying to herself for a couple of hours, Maggie fell asleep dreaming about a world where Tara was still by her side.

* * *

Carol and Rosita quietly knocked on Maggie's bedroom door a couple of hours later to check on the pregnant woman. When they received no answer, Carol slowly opened the door, the scene in front of them breaking their hearts.

Maggie was laying on the bed, asleep with Tara's plaid shirt gripped firmly in her hand. On the pillow next to Maggie were the polaroids which had captured some of Tara's last moments. Carol picked up one of the photos, taking in Tara's features, missing her signature goofy smile.

"We're gonna have to make sure that Maggie takes care of herself. The baby is the only thing we have left of Tara so we need to make sure she's taken care of," Carol explained to Rosita, feeling the tears start again.

"Nothin' is gonna happen to that baby," Rosita promised as she gently pushed a stray hair out of Maggie's face, and covered her with the blanket.

"I'll stay with her in case she has nightmares. I don't think I can sleep anyways. Every time I close my eyes...it replays in my head," Carol sighed as she sat down on the chair in the room, trying to keep her tears at bay.

Rosita didn't say anything. In fact, the young Hispanic woman was glad that she hadn't been there to witness the death of one of her good friends. She had no idea how the others would ever get past witnessing that brutality. Rosita left the room, closing the door behind her. With a heavy heart, she made her way to her bedroom, knowing that she would have to comfort Abraham, who was crying over everything that had happened.

Carol watched as Rosita retreated from the room, gazing at Maggie. She knew the young woman was going to need all the strength and help from their family to get through this. Carol thought it was tragic that Tara never had the chance to meet her child, especially since parenthood had been something Tara had looked forward to.

"We'll take care of both of them. I promise," Carol said to the room where Tara's presence still lingered heavily. She laid her head back, trying to block out the horrible images from earlier, and trying to survive their first night without Tara.

* * *

The next morning, no one wanted to get up because it meant facing the harsh reality of Tara being gone. The breakfast table was solemn as nobody really ate, and Tara's chair was noticeably empty. Maggie was still in the bedroom, refusing to come out until the small funeral was set to start.

Daryl stood up, and threw his uneaten plate away. He walked into the living room, trying to find some kind of solace in the house where Tara's memory and presence seemed to haunt him at every turn. He glanced at the coffee table, and spotted the baby books that Tara had been reading to get ready for the arrival of the little one. He picked one up, flipping through the pages, remembering how Tara would read excerpts from the book to him.

He placed the book back on the table, trying to avoid the tears that threatened to come out. Daryl was trying to hold it together, but this loss had hit him hard. Tara had been his best friend, and now a piece of his heart was missing.

Abraham walked into the room, sighing heavily as he placed his hand on Daryl's shoulder. "You 'bout ready?"

"No. But let's get this over with," Daryl muttered as Maggie came down the stairs with Carol holding her close.

Everyone glanced at Maggie sadly before they started out the door towards the small graveyard. It took the group a few minutes to get there, blood still stained the sidewalks and streets from the Wolves' attack. There were a few other people in the cemetery, busy burying the ones who had lost their lives in the ambush.

Deanna, Spencer, Jessie, Father Gabriel, and Nicole were waiting for the group by Tara's gravesite. Maggie felt herself get sick with each step she took since she knew that Tara was buried in the cold, unforgiving earth. All of Tara's warmth, and love was really gone now, and she was left with just memories.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I can preside if you wish," Father Gabriel said as he glanced at the broken down group.

"Nah, Tara didn't believe in religion. We'll just share our memories of her," Daryl replied as Gabriel nodded respectfully.

There was silence among the group as they looked at the grave and cross that had Tara's name on it. Maggie let her fingers touch the carved letters, still in disbelief that it was Tara's name. Abraham stepped forward, his eyes watering.

"Tara was a hardass from the first day I met her. We didn't get along that great at first, but I knew she was good people. There have been times when I wanted to kill her, but she was like a sister to me. I'm gonna miss her jokes the most, and that goofy laugh she sometimes got. I'll miss my drinkin' buddy, that's for damn sure. Tara could really hold her liquor. I won't ever forget her, and I know I'll see her again one day. Until then, this is for you, buddy. I love you," Abraham pulled out a small bottle of scotch. He twisted the top off, and poured about half of the bottle onto the grave.

"Our last drink together," Abraham wiped his tears away before taking a long drink himself. The others simply watched, and allowed Abe's words to soak in.

Daryl came forward, hands in his pockets. "I don't have much to say, 'cept that I lost my best friend yesterday. I'll miss Tara everyday, and I'll make sure her kiddo knows how great she was. I love you, Tara, and I hope that I'll see you one day."

He couldn't contain the tears as Carol held him close, comforting him. Maggie listened as everyone said something about Tara, and how much she would be missed. She felt numb, almost as if none of this was real, and she was just dreaming a horrible nightmare.

"Do you wanna say anythin', Maggie?" Rick asked, bringing her back to reality...one without Tara.

"I just...I just...want her back. I loved her so much. Tara was everythin' to me, and she was the love of my life. I thought after Glenn, my life was over, but she brought me back. Tara gave me the most precious gift ever, and I swear I will raise our child to know who she was. I know this isn't the end of our journey...I know I will see her again. I just wish I could have told her everythin' I wanted to say. I wish I could feel her one more time. Or hear a stupid joke or see that adorable smile, but she'll always live in my heart and memories. I miss her so much...I love you, Tara Chambler," Maggie had to end her speech as sobs overtook her body. Carol and Rosita were immediately by her side, helping her stay steady as her body trembled in sadness and grief.

"Get her back to the house, and stay with her," Rick told Carol and Rosita, "we're gonna start our preparation for the Wolves today."

All Rick wanted to do was cry in grief, but he knew he needed to be strong for the others, and that Tara would want him to protect their home, and make sure that they had a safe place to raise their children. Plus, Rick wanted revenge more than anything, and he knew the others wanted redemption also.

Carol and Rosita helped Maggie back to the house, and into the safety of her bed. Maggie tried to go to sleep since her dreams seemed better than reality, but every time she closed her eyes all she saw was Tara's brutal murder, remembering every gruesome detail. She held Tara's plaid shirt close to her cold body, her other hand gripping Tara's wedding ring, thinking about all the happy times they had spent together. She tried to block out the horrific images that wanted to plague her mind.

Maggie truly wanted to give up. She had been through so much heartbreak and sorrow during her short life. She had lost so much already - her mother, brother, Hershel, Beth, Glenn, and now Tara. She felt like she had nothing left to live for, and she would never be happy again.

Suddenly, the baby kicked, reminding Maggie that she was carrying a precious life, and a connection to Tara. She quickly chastised herself for thinking about doing the unforgivable. Tara wouldn't want her to give up, she would want her to fight for each day. Tara would want her to raise their child, and to live a full life.

Maggie placed her hand on her stomach. "I promise, Elizabeth, I'll take care of you. It's gonna be scary at first, and lonely, but we'll make it. We have to. Tara loved you so much."

Maggie rubbed her stomach a few times, the baby kicking in response to her words. She knew these next few days, weeks, and months would be the hardest of her life, but Maggie knew she needed to keep going for her and Tara's baby. Elizabeth was all that she had left of Tara, and she was going to be sure to protect and care for her at all costs.

She thought about Tara and how much she missed her love and comforting soul. Maggie knew that Tara was watching over her in some way. She couldn't let herself believe that Tara's death was the ultimate end for them...there had to be more since they had been soulmates. For now, Tara was safe and protected in her heart, never to be let go. Tara's love had touched her once, but she knew the memory would last for a lifetime.

"I miss you so much..." Maggie choked out a sob, not bothering to wipe her tears away.

Maggie laid in the bed for a couple of hours before finally crying herself into another restless sleep. In her dreams, Tara was there to protect her from the evils of the world, and holding her in those strong arms that she missed, leaving her nothing to fear.

* * *

The next few weeks were hard and depressing for Rick's family as they tried to move on from their loss. It seemed like everything reminded them of Tara in some way. Her chair at the dining room table remained empty, and at times Carol would accidentally set a plate down, expecting Tara to waltz into the room with that cheery smile. Every time she did that, Carol would immediately pick the plate up, and try to keep the tears from falling.

Rick and Daryl were busy trying to find the Wolves' hideout. Rick wanted to do a sneak attack on the group, and had Abraham training people in Alexandria to fight. Rick wanted Amos to pay for what he had done, but they needed to find the Wolves first.

Everyday, Daryl made his way out into the woods stealthily looking for their camp. The last few days had been hard for Daryl since he missed Tara like crazy. He had no one to go on supply runs with him, and the days seemed to be longer without her around. He kept the promise he had made to his best friend, making sure that Maggie was getting plenty to eat and resting enough. Daryl, Carol, and Rosita had made it their mission to look out for Maggie and the baby.

Maggie began to show her pregnancy more, and it was bittersweet for everyone. They were happy that the baby was healthy and growing, but sad because Tara wasn't around to witness the joy. Every time he saw Maggie, Daryl always made a promise to get the son of a bitch who had taken Tara away from their family too soon.

One tiring day, Daryl made his way through the woods, his thoughts about Tara interrupted by the sound of men talking. He knelt down by the cover of the bushes, creeping towards the chatter. Daryl popped his head up, and what he saw filled his body with anger. A few yards away, was the infamous Amos sitting around a fire with his henchmen. Finally, after days upon days of searching, he had found the bastards.

It took everything in Daryl not to shoot the man with an arrow right then and there. He knew he needed to get back, and let Rick know where the Wolves were holding up. Daryl glanced at the guys one more time before running back to Alexandria as fast as he could.

"We're gonna kill that bastard, Tara. I promise," Daryl said to the cold sky as he kept on running.

Daryl quickly informed Rick and the others of what he had seen. Deanna allowed Rick to declare war on the Wolves, feeling that they needed to attack first. Daryl and Rick formulated a plan to strike in the early morning hours of dawn when the Wolves least expected it. Everyone was on board to carry out the plan the next morning, all wanting some kind of vengeance for Tara.

Maggie listened to the war plans, secretly glad that the horrible people who had killed Tara would soon be dead. She was going to stay behind with Deanna because of the pregnancy, but she knew her group wouldn't let her down.

Early in the dark morning hours, Rick and his group with a few select Alexandrines made their way to the Wolves' hideout. They finally came upon the secret location, and saw that Amos' men were mostly asleep on their tents, unaware of their upcoming demise.

"Alright, we're gonna ambush these fuckers. Remember, we're doin' this to protect Alexandria. Do not hesitate to kill these people because they'll kill you without a second thought. But remember, their leader is mine," Rick whispered to his group as they prepared their weapons. Sasha and Michonne were more than ready to kill the bastards who had attacked their home and family, creating a void that could never be filled.

"Let's attack!" Daryl started the attack, running to the first tent he saw, shooting arrows into the heads of the sleeping occupants.

The others took Daryl's lead, ambushing the sleeping Wolves, taking the malicious group by surprise. Michonne quickly dispatched two members, cutting their heads off. Sasha and Carol shot at every Wolf they saw as Rick and Abraham stabbed man after man, searching for Amos.

Daryl found the relentless leader trying to escape from the carnage. He quickly tackled the man, punching him a few times, and kicking his weapon away. Amos quickly realized that the gig was up...Rick's group had outsmarted him. The proud man wouldn't admit that he was scared about what was ultimately in store for him.

Amos raised his hands in the air in surrender. "Alright, you win. I'm actually impressed."

Soon, all of the Wolves were killed with no causalities suffered by Rick's group. They all gathered where Daryl had a gun pointed to Amos' head, his finger itching to pull the trigger.

"Is this the fucker who killed Tara?" Spencer asked, feeling anger overtake his emotions.

"Yeah. That's him," Daryl confirmed as Spencer stepped forward landing a hard right hook into Amos' face causing him to fall over from his kneeling position.

"That's right, boy. I killed your friend. I've killed a lot of people. Let out your anger before your little friend here shoots me," Amos laughed, believing that he would get a quick death.

"You ain't gettin' no quick death, you son of a bitch," Abraham stepped up to the fallen leader, kicking him squarely in the ribs.

Amos simply shook his head, laughing as he returned to his kneeling position. "I'm glad I killed her that day. It toughened y'all up so you should thank me. She went out like a champ, I must admit."

"You made our life a livin' hell. Now, you're gonna pay," Rick was done with Amos mocking their loss as he walked up to the enemy. In his hands was the barbed wire covered bat that Sasha had found in one of the tents. There was still dried blood all over the bat, and Rick wondered briefly if it was Tara's blood.

Amos caught sight of Annabelle and knew that Rick's group was serious. He wouldn't admit that he was scared to suffer the same fate as their friend, but his flesh trembled.

"That's your friend's blood on Annabelle. I haven't used her since that day," Amos smiled, knowing the end was near for him. He never envisioned his life ending like this, but it seemed fitting.

"Well, now it's gonna be covered with your blood," Rick muttered as Amos glared at him, a hint of fear in his dark eyes.

"Let me do the first hit," Daryl suggested. Rick handed him the bat, the weight like a ton of bricks since it had been used to kill Tara.

Daryl marched up to Amos, swinging the bat menacingly back and forth. He glanced at the blood on the bat, tears slowly coming to his eyes as he thought about Tara.

"This is for you," Daryl whispered as he swung the bat back before forcefully bringing it down onto Amos' skull. There was a loud crack as the man's skull opened, revealing a bit of brain matter.

"Oh shit! Ahhh! Fuck!" Amos screamed as he tried to hold his head, agony radiating throughout his body.

Daryl kept himself from repeatedly hitting Amos with the bat, instead, he handed it to Abraham. The red head readily accepted the weapon, remembering how he had witnessed Tara's death, fury eating him up.

Abraham waited a few minutes to make sure that Amos suffered in misery. The man was screaming in pain, begging for some type of mercy. Abraham ignored him as he swung the bat into Amos' face causing his eyeball to pop out of its socket, hanging down.

Amos screams were louder, pain wracking his weakened body. Rick took hold of the bat, bringing it down on Amos' head once again, another loud crack resulting. The fallen leader fell to the ground, groaning in pain, wanting some kind of pity.

The group surrounding him was not going to show any mercy though.

They let him suffer in agony for a few long, painful minutes, just as he had done to Tara. Finally, Daryl was tired of waiting. He grabbed the bat, bringing it down on Amos' body over and over again until the man was unrecognizable. Daryl let out all the sadness and frustration that he had felt over the past few weeks.

"He's dead. It's over," Carol gently placed her hand on Daryl's back to calm him down.

Daryl let the bat fall to the dirt ground, pulling Carol close as he shed more tears, missing his best friend more than anything in that moment. Rick glanced at his group, and saw that most had tears in their eyes. It was a bittersweet moment for the group.

Rick closed his eyes, Tara's gruesome death rushing back to him. He knelt down, hiding his own emotions from his friends. Rick stayed in that position for a few minutes, before he stood up, wiping his tears away.

"Let's get back home," Rick said with a heavy heart since he knew it would never feel like home again with Tara gone.

Daryl searched the camp, finding the weapons that had been taken from them in the first attack. He spotted Tara's knife and pistol, quickly laying claim on the items. Daryl was going to save the weapons until the Chambler baby was old enough to handle them on her own.

Rick led the way back, leaving all the death and destruction behind. He was glad that he would be able to tell Maggie that it was finally over. The group who had been responsible for the huge, gaping hole in their hearts had been annihilated. Rick wondered briefly if things would ever be the same, and wondered if time would truly heal their wounds.

* * *

Deanna and Maggie were seated on the couch in the Monroe house when the others arrived back. Deanna immediately hugged Spencer, glad that her son had made it back safely.

Maggie hugged Carol, Rosita, and Daryl as they walked into the room, not caring that they were covered in blood. She was relieved that no one had been lost or hurt on a dangerous mission for once.

"It's over. We killed the fuckin' bastard. All the Wolves are dead. We should be safe until the next threat comes through," Rick told the two women who were seated on the couch.

"Thank you so much, all of y'all," Maggie thanked the group as they simply shook their heads.

"Ain't no thanks needed. This was somethin' that had to be done for Tara," Daryl replied as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

"This will always be her home," Deanna promised taking Maggie's hand in her own. The two were quickly developing a mother/daughter relationship coping together with the loss of their spouses.

Maggie gave her a small smile. Rick nodded his head before turning to the others.

"Let's get cleaned up, and just take it easy the rest of the day. Tomorrow, we'll continue with your trainin'. We need to be prepared for anythin' now. Good job today," Rick instructed the group before leading the way out.

Rosita stroked Maggie's arm a couple of times as she made her way out of the Monroe living room. "You coming?"

"Yeah, I'll be there soon," Maggie said as Rosita nodded. Carol placed her hand on Maggie's stomach, the baby bump more prominent than before.

"Dinner will be ready soon. So make sure to be home in about an hour or so," Carol replied gently as Maggie nodded.

Maggie waited until everyone left before she said goodbye to Deanna and Spencer. Maggie held Tara's wedding ring in her fingers as she quietly made her way to Alexandria's makeshift graveyard. She walked down the empty sidewalks that were still stained with blood from that terrible attack. A few people out on their porches waved to her, and Maggie waved back.

She finally made it to the makeshift cemetery which was empty except for the graves and crosses. Maggie slowly made her way to Tara's grave, the letters that Abe had carved standing out from the other graves. She sat down next to the cold dirt as tears came rushing down her face.

Maggie held onto Tara's wedding ring as she thought about all the promises that Tara had made to her. Tara had always promised to be there for her, and that she would always come back home.

"You promised to always be here," Maggie sobbed, her body shaking in grief.

She remembered all the times the two had spent together. Memories of their short time together invading her mind as she recalled the first 'I love you' and their first kiss. The first time they had made love or how happy Tara was when Maggie revealed that she was pregnant. She closed her eyes, trying to picture Tara's adorable smile.

Maggie glanced at the ground where the other half of her heart was now buried in the cold earth. The thought brought more tears as she prayed to God that she would make it through this hard time. Maggie realized that Tara had become her whole world, and now she was living in a world without her love.

She let the sobs take over her body, her heart broken beyond repair. Suddenly, Maggie felt another presence next to her. She opened her eyes, glancing up to see Nicole standing by the grave with some flowers.

Maggie gave the other woman a small smile as she wiped her tears away. Nicole wasn't sure if she should comfort the pregnant woman since she wasn't sure if Maggie liked her or not.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I can come back later," Nicole started to leave but Maggie shook her head.

"It's alright. It's nice to have someone else around...it's so quiet here," Maggie noticed how eerily silent it was in this part of the community.

"I'm sorry about Tara. I have no idea how you're holdin' up. I can barely keep it together sometimes," Nicole admitted as Maggie turned to look at her.

"You meant a lot to Tara. I admit I was jealous of you sometimes, but you held a special place in her heart. You were a good friend. Hopefully, we can be friends too," Maggie smiled through her tears as Nicole nodded.

"I would like that," Nicole gave the widow a small smile. She wondered briefly if she should tell Maggie about that one kiss that had been a mistake. Nicole decided against it since Maggie already had so much to deal with.

Nicole sat down next to Maggie after placing the flowers on Tara's grave. The two women sat in comfortable silence until Maggie started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Nicole asked, wiping a few tears away.

"I'm just rememberin' this one time when Tara was playin' football with Carl. He had thrown the ball, and somehow Tara had gotten distracted. Well, that football hit her right in the groin, and she went down so quick. Of course, I was concerned, but it was so funny," Maggie let out a few more laughs as Nicole giggled, picturing the event in her head.

"She always was funny," Nicole commented, remembering the jokes that Tara used to tell her.

"Yeah, Tara always liked to act like a hardass, but she was really a big teddy bear at heart," Maggie sighed as she noticed that the sky was turning a shade of black, indicating that it was time to go home.

"I'll walk you home," Nicole said as she stood up before helping Maggie to her feet. The two walked to the house mostly in silence, taking in each other's serene company.

When they arrived at the home, Nicole leaned over to give Maggie a hug. "If you ever need anything, just let me know."

"Thank you," Maggie replied as she hugged the other woman back. Nicole waved as Maggie went inside the house where the rest of her family was sitting in the living room. Tara's recliner was still empty since no one wanted to sit in it for fear of tarnishing her treasured memory.

Maggie smiled sadly at her friends before making her way in the kitchen when Carol and Sasha were waiting for her with a plate of food.

"There you are. Here, eat what you can," Carol pushed the plate of food in front of Maggie, who started to push at the food on the plate.

Maggie didn't really feel like eating much these days, but she forced herself to because of the baby. Carol and Sasha made some small talk with her before Maggie made her way up the stairs and into her room. She laid down on the bed where Tara's scent was slowly fading away. Maggie dreaded the day when it was gone completely.

Elizabeth started kicking, letting her mother know that she was still around. Maggie placed her hand on her stomach, sighing sadly. She really wished that Tara was laying next to her on the bed. The room still had Tara's lingering presence which sometimes brought Maggie comfort. Other times it haunted her.

Maggie pulled the photos out from under her pillow, studying Tara's smile once again.

"I love you," Maggie whispered to the photo before putting them up so she could get some sleep. She still had nightmares about Tara's death occasionally, but they were slowly haunting her less and less.

Maggie stayed awake for a couple of hours, softly crying to herself before she was finally able to close her eyes into a restless slumber.

* * *

**Six Months Later...**

Maggie sat in Tara's recliner reading a baby book. Carol and Rosita made a fuss over her as they brought her a snack and some water. She was going to have the baby any day now, and everyone in the Grimes' group was waiting in nervous anticipation.

Just last month, the family had set up the nursery which was a bittersweet moment since Tara had looked forward to building the crib and painting the walls. Abraham and Daryl had spent a couple of hours trying to build the crib, cursing at each other when pieces didn't match. They had provided entertainment for the rest of the family, and helped make the difficult task more manageable.

Deanna was overjoyed about the baby, already declaring herself Elizabeth's grandmother. Maggie didn't argue because she wanted the baby to have many people to love and care for her since Tara wouldn't be around. Plus, Deanna would make a great grandmother since she was always fussing over Maggie's health and giving her baby advice.

Maggie was happy that she would get to meet her daughter soon, but sad that Tara wouldn't be there for the birth. She knew her family would all be there, but the one most important person wouldn't. Maggie remembered how much she and Tara had looked forward to the day when their baby was born. Tara had joked that Maggie would be yelling at her, and squeezing her hand so hard it would almost break.

"How are you feeling?" Carol asked, interrupting Maggie's thoughts.

"I'm doin' pretty good. Just ready for her to get out," Maggie laughed, hoping that day would come soon. She was tired of being pregnant and uncomfortable all the damn time. Plus, Maggie couldn't sleep well, and was just tired.

"Hopefully, it's soon! I can't wait to hold her," Rosita grinned, just imagining holding the newborn baby.

"You and me both," Maggie replied as she kept on reading her book.

Later on that evening, Maggie was in her bedroom, trying to get comfortable. She still kept the photos of Tara under her pillow, and the plaid shirt on the bed. The pain of losing Tara was still abundant, but slowly it was hurting less and less. Of course, Maggie thought about Tara all the time, especially when she felt the baby move within her.

Maggie suddenly felt a gush of wetness between her legs, and knew that her water had just broke. She excitedly sat up, making her way to Carol's room, knocking on the door.

"My water broke!" Maggie excitedly said as Carol started to get things ready so they could head to the infirmary.

"It's almost time!" Carol quickly woke Rosita up so they could get things situated. Daryl appeared in the hallway, nervous and excited about the birth.

"Do we need to come with y'all?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"No, it will be a few hours until little Elizabeth makes her appearance so you guys get some sleep, and we'll stay with Maggie," Carol yelled as she and Rosita helped Maggie down the stairs and out the front door. Everyone at the house was abuzz with excitement, knowing that their newest family member would be making her appearance soon.

The trio made it to the infirmary where Dr. Fields and Nicole were on duty. They quickly got Maggie situated in a comfortable room and waited for the painful contractions to begin.

Maggie sat in the bed, waiting anxiously for the show to begin. Slowly the contractions became stronger and closer together, meaning that the baby was on her way. Carol and Rosita had left to go get the rest of the family so they could wait in the sitting area.

She suddenly felt overwhelmed by Tara's noticeable absence. They had often talked about how this day would go, and now Tara wouldn't be there to witness the birth of their only child. The pain from the contractions and the emptiness Maggie felt caused her to cry, letting out emotions that she had tried to keep locked up all day.

The door opened as Carol walked into the room with Rosita. They immediately noticed that Maggie was crying and flanked to her side.

"Are you okay?" Carol asked with concern, holding Maggie's hand.

"I'm fine. I was just thinkin' about how Tara should be here, and how I'm all alone in this," Maggie wiped her tears away, "I just miss her so much. We pictured how this day would go so many times...and now she's not here."

"Oh sweetie, I miss her a lot too. I know she would be so proud of you right now. I really believe she's here in spirit, and you're not alone. We're all here for you and the baby," Carol hugged Maggie close as Rosita checked to see how the progress was coming along.

"You're almost there. Everyone's already waitin' in the waiting room. Daryl and Abraham are a bundle of nerves right now...it's pretty cute actually," Rosita smiled, trying to help her best friend feel better.

The three women waited a couple of hours more until the contractions lasted longer than a minute, and were continuous. Maggie knew it was time as Rosita ran to get Dr. Fields. They barely made it back with Nicole before Maggie started pushing as hard as she could.

Rosita held Maggie's hand, enduring how hard the woman in labor was squeezing it. "Come on, Maggie! You can do this!"

"Oh god! It hurts so much!" Maggie yelled as she pushed again with Dr. Fields' encouragement.

"Come on, Maggie! I see the head! She's almost here!" Carol said with excitement as the young woman pushed again.

"We got a head! Shoulders are coming out!" Nicole grinned as Maggie could barely believe this was happening with how much pain she was in, and she was pretty sure she was yelling or screaming obscenities.

"One more push! Just one more!" Dr. Fields cheered, knowing that Maggie was beyond exhausted.

Finally, with one last push the baby was out, and gentle wails filled the room as Maggie cried tears of joy at the sound. Rosita quickly cut the umbilical cord, and Nicole hurriedly took the baby to give her a quick check up and clean up.

"It's a girl!" Dr. Fields announced to the room as Maggie just wept tears at the sound of her baby's cry.

Nicole cleaned the little girl up, and wrapped her securely in a blanket before gently handing the precious bundle to Maggie. Everyone watched as Maggie instantly fell in love with the newborn, who had stopped crying as soon as she was in her mother's arms.

"Well, I guess your hunch was right all along. It's a girl," Rosita could barely contain her own tears at the sight of the newborn.

"I'll let everyone know out in the waiting room that y'all have another little girl in the family now. They'll be able to visit in about an hour or so after Maggie rests up some," Nicole and Dr. Fields smiled as they left the room to deliver the good news.

"She's so perfect," Maggie whispered as Carol and Rosita sat on each side of the bed, waiting for their turn to hold the little bundle.

"She looks just like Tara. She's got her nose and everything," Carol observed as Maggie wept even harder, remembering that Tara wasn't there to meet their beautiful daughter.

Carol and Rosita held Maggie close as they began to cry also, profoundly feeling Tara's absence in that moment. The baby looked up at her mother, snuggling close to her warm body. In that moment, Maggie vowed to protect her baby at all costs, falling more in love as each second passed.

"Can I hold her?" Carol asked as Maggie nodded, carefully handing her over.

"She's so beautiful. She's definitely Tara's kid, though. Already looks a lot like her," Rosita commented as Maggie gave her a small smile.

"Knock...knock...can we come in?" Daryl poked his head into the room, a grin on his face when he saw the little bundle in Carol's arms.

"Yes...everyone get in here," Maggie wiped her tears away, trying to keep the occasion a happy one.

The rest of the family piled into the room as Sasha and Michonne made a beeline for the newborn, declaring they were next to hold her. The baby was soon passed around as everyone commented on how much she took after Tara.

"Knowin' our luck she'll be as stubborn and rambunctious as Tara was. What's her name anyways?" Daryl asked as he looked down at the baby held securely in his arms.

"Elizabeth Ranae Chambler," Maggie smiled as she remembered when she and Tara had gone over baby names together.

"Lil' Elizabeth...beautiful," Daryl simply said as he rocked the baby in his arms.

The door opened as a young nurse, named Holly, and Deanna came into the room. Holly had a pen and some papers in her hand while Deanna ran to Maggie's side, giving her a hug and a kiss on the head.

"How are you doing?" the older woman sincerely asked.

"I'm fine...I really am. Wanna hold Elizabeth?" Maggie asked as Deanna couldn't contain her excitement. Daryl carefully handed the baby to the former congresswoman, who cooed over how adorable she was.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your family time, but we're tryin' to keep records of babies that are born in Alexandria. She's the fourth one so far. So I just need her name and the parent's names," Holly informed the group as she got ready to fill in some paperwork.

"The baby's name is Elizabeth Ranae Chambler. My name's Margaret Anne Chambler and her other parent is Tara Ranae Chambler...who is deceased," Maggie said sadly as Holly looked up from her paper work.

"I'm sorry. Here just look this over to make sure everything's spelled right, and I'll get out of your hair," Holly handed the paper to Maggie who made a couple of corrections. The rest of the family kept quiet, taking note that Maggie had taken Tara's last name.

Holly quickly left the room as a wave of sadness hit everyone as they realized that Tara would never get to hold her daughter or see her grow up. Daryl sighed as he felt the emptiness hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Don't worry lil' Elizabeth...you've got a whole family who'll take care of you. I'll do whatever I need to do to make sure you're safe," Daryl promised as he glanced over Deanna's shoulder to look at the newborn. The baby was fast asleep, basking in all the attention she was getting.

Deanna held the baby for a few more minutes before handing the bundle back to her mother. Maggie couldn't contain her smile as she held Elizabeth close, silently thanking Tara for giving her this miracle of life.

"We should be headin' back so the baby and momma can get some rest. We'll come visit you tomorrow," Rick softly stroked Elizabeth's tiny arm and kissed Maggie's head as the others reluctantly agreed to head back to the house.

"Dr. Fields said I should be home in a couple of days," Maggie informed her friends, who were excited about having a newborn in the house. They all hugged Maggie goodbye, forcing themselves to leave.

Carol stayed behind to help out and stay with Maggie until it was Rosita's turn to look after her. Nicole came into the room to do a quick check up and to make sure the baby could breastfeed correctly, which she could.

"How does it feel to be a mother?" Carol asked while Maggie rocked the baby to sleep, unable to believe how much she looked like Tara.

"It's surreal. I love her so much. I just wish Tara was here," Maggie replied as Elizabeth yawned before falling back asleep.

Carol noticed that Maggie couldn't contain the yawn that escaped her, and knew the young woman was beyond exhausted from the eventful day.

"Let me hold her, and you get some sleep," Carol suggested. Maggie was about to protest, but she realized how tired she really was. Carefully, she handed her daughter to Carol before she let her head hit the pillow, letting dreams of Tara and their little family flood through her fatigued mind. In Maggie's dreams, Tara got to hold Elizabeth and tell her how proud she was. Maggie let a small smile glow on her face as she fell into an exhaustive sleep.

* * *

**Ten Months Later...**

Elizabeth Chambler walked unsteadily through the living room with Daryl and Judith following close behind to make sure she didn't fall or lose balance. Judith loved her newest playmate, and the two were almost inseparable.

"Watch your steps, sunshine. Don't need ya to fall," Daryl grinned as the little girl made her way through the dining room, laughing all the way.

Daryl followed, holding Judith's hand. He had to admit that the pain of not having Tara around was still prominent even a year later, but having Elizabeth made things a little more manageable.

Everyone in the family loved the little girl who looked just like Tara. In fact, Elizabeth took after Tara so much it was almost unbelievable. The only thing she seemed to get from Maggie was her green eyes. Everything else: looks, attitude, and behavior was all Tara which brought some kind of solace to the group.

Deanna doted over the little girl, quickly spoiling her, and taking care of her whenever she could. Maggie was grateful for all the help that she received from everyone. The first couple of months had been hard for Maggie with a newborn that was totally dependent on her. She had never missed Tara more than she had in those months.

Carol and Rosita were by Maggie's side throughout everything. They happily took care of the baby when Maggie needed to rest or take a break. Daryl immediately fell in love with Elizabeth, taking it upon himself to make sure that his best friend's daughter was well taken care of.

"Hey, Izzy...take it easy! Your momma ain't goin' anywhere," Daryl laughed as Elizabeth quickly made her way to the kitchen where Maggie was sitting with Deanna and Carol.

Deanna had started calling the baby Izzy almost immediately, and the nickname just kind of stuck. Soon, everyone was calling the little girl Izzy, which Maggie didn't mind. She thought the nickname was cute after all.

Izzy entered the kitchen, trotting towards Deanna, wanting to be picked up. The older woman complied, setting the little girl on her lap, holding her close. Izzy smiled a smile that completely mirrored Tara's signature goofy one. Maggie was secretly happy that Izzy had inherited Tara's grin since it meant that she could still see that smile she missed daily.

"Oh my goodness, she is growing more and more everyday," Deanna cooed as Izzy laughed, bouncing in her lap.

"She's a handful," Maggie grinned as Daryl and Judith made their way into the kitchen. Judy ran to Maggie, giggling as she was picked up off the floor.

"Rambunctious lil' thing Izzy is," Daryl added as the baby in question began to play with Deanna's sweater.

"They're both so adorable when they play together," Carol glanced at Judith and Izzy, knowing that they would be best friends for life.

"Now, that she's walkin' better and will be runnin' soon that means I get to teach her how to play football and soccer. You know...since that's what Tara had always wanted to do," Daryl said with a hint of sadness in his voice. The death of his friend was still fresh in his mind, and the mention of her always brought the event rushing back to him.

Deanna could feel the mood in the kitchen change at the mention of Tara. "She would have been so proud of all of you for coming together and taking such good care of little Izzy."

"Yeah, I know Tara would have loved Izzy so much. Probably would have spoiled her relentless," Maggie sighed as she reached over to stroke her daughter's hair which was dark brown.

Izzy climbed down Deanna's lap, laughing as Judith did the same, and they made their way to the living room where the baby toys were located.

"Guess this means that the party has moved," Daryl commented as the adults moved to the living room where the babies were both playing with building blocks.

Rosita, Sasha, and the others soon came home from their jobs. They all quickly showered Judy and Izzy with attention, playing with them and making the babies laugh. Abraham tossed Izzy in the air causing the girl to giggle uncontrollably.

"God, I can't get over how much she looks like Tara," Rosita commented as Izzy climbed all over Eugene and Carl.

"I know. Only thing she got from me was my eyes," Maggie smiled proudly as Izzy walked between Carol and Rosita unassisted, giggling like crazy.

Maggie glanced at the framed picture on the wall. It was one of the photos that she had taken of her and Tara. Daryl had brought a small frame back from a run, insisting that one of Polaroids be hung on the wall. So Maggie picked one of her favorites, and now it was proudly hanging in the living room. Every so often, Maggie would catch herself or someone from the family gazing at the photo with a sense of longing for a time when Tara was still around.

The family stayed downstairs for a couple of hours until Maggie had to get Izzy to bed since she had to work with Deanna in the morning. Maggie carried the baby up the stairs and into her bedroom. Izzy rarely slept in the nursery since she learned how to climb out of the crib, and worried her mother to death.

Maggie placed Izzy on the bed, playing with her for a few minutes before turning on the portable CD player that Daryl had found for her while out on a supply run. Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" filled the room as Izzy giggled in delight. Maggie laid down next to the baby, taking in her features.

Carol poked her head in the bedroom. "Already startin' her early with Journey, huh?"

"Yeah. This was Tara's favorite song, and she used to sing it to me all the time. She always said I was the small town girl, and she was the city boy," Maggie laughed as Carol remembered one incident of Tara declaring that to everyone.

"That sounds like her, alright. Daryl find all those?" Carol pointed to the stack of CDs next to the radio.

"Yup. They're all classic rock bands like Journey, Boston, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and The Eagles. Tara's favorite kind of music. Daryl said Izzy should be taught early what good music is," Maggie said, her hand stroking her daughter's soft hair.

Carol walked into the room, giving Maggie and Izzy each a kiss on the head goodnight. "Y'all get some sleep. Izzy's so lucky that she gets to stay with me tomorrow."

Maggie smiled as she recalled how Carol and Rosita had argued over who would watch the little girl since they both wanted to. Carol won, with Rosita making Maggie promise that she would get to babysit next. The older woman left the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

Maggie glanced down at Elizabeth, who was already fast asleep. The soft melody of "Faithfully" started to play from the radio speakers, making Maggie miss Tara. The last year had gone by quickly, but the pain was still there. She still went to visit Tara's grave everyday, telling her how the baby and the family was doing.

Maggie still wore the necklace that had Tara's wedding ring on it, and she still wore the rings that Tara had given her. She still had Tara's clothes in the closet, not ready to give them up just yet. The Polaroids were still under her pillow, and she gazed at them every night. Maggie knew that she was slowly moving on, but she would never let Tara go. She would always be apart of her, no matter what happened.

Slowly, Maggie was learning to live without Tara. Everyday though, she wanted Tara around to hold, just wanted her home. She would do anything for just one more touch or kiss. Having Izzy around helped with the healing process, and she stayed strong for their daughter.

Maggie glanced over at the angelic baby who was sleeping next to her without a care in the world. She smiled at the shirt that Izzy was wearing that said 'I love my mommy'. Daryl had found it and a few other clothes while out on a run with Heath and Aaron.

Motherhood had definitely changed Maggie in so many good ways. Now, her world was Elizabeth and making sure that Alexandria carried on for generations upon generations.

Maggie turned off the music, closing her tired eyes. She knew she needed to get to sleep since Izzy always woke up early. She glanced over at Tara's side of the bed, grazing her fingers over the fabric. Maggie closed her eyes once again, hoping that tonight she would dream of Tara. She knew that Tara was watching over them, and that Tara would always be safe in her heart.

"I love you so much. You would be so proud of Izzy," Maggie said to the empty room, wishing that she could hear Tara's voice one more time.

Maggie held Tara's wedding ring close to her heart as she fell into another restless slumber, her tears silently putting her to sleep.

* * *

**Five years later...**

Maggie sat at her desk looking over the blueprints that outlined plans to make the walls around Alexandria even stronger. Abraham and Rick had came up with the idea to strengthen the walls and the gate so if anyone tried to attack the community then they would have a hell of a hard time breaching the surrounding walls.

She closed her eyes briefly before deciding that it was a good idea for Abraham and the construction crew to start. Maggie had been voted unanimously by the safe-zone community to take over leadership after Deanna's sudden death a couple of years ago. Dr. Fields and Denise had said the older woman had suffered a heart attack, and Alexandria was left stunned, without its leader.

Rick considered briefly being leader of the community, but some members still didn't trust him fully. When Maggie offered to take over, telling everyone how Deanna had molded her into leadership material, the community readily agreed. So now, Maggie was ultimately in charge of Alexandria with powerful members like Rick and Daryl by her side.

At first, Maggie had been intimidated by all the responsibilities she now had, and being a single mother, but she made it work. Now, three years later, Alexandria was thriving and growing in size.

Maggie's thoughts were interrupted by a giggle at the door. She smiled as the door opened and Elizabeth ran into the room, making a beeline to her mother, giving her a huge hug. Izzy was followed by a medium-sized fawn colored boxer named Bella.

"Mommy! Mommy! I missed you!" Izzy yelled as she jumped into her mother's lap, and Bella trotted over, licking Maggie's hand.

Daryl had spotted the lost pup while out in the woods with Heath a few months ago. He had quickly brought the puppy back to Alexandria, intent on giving her to another family. However, when Izzy had seen the puppy, she begged Maggie to let her keep it. When Maggie had seen that smile that reminded her of Tara so much, she knew she couldn't say no. So now, Rick's family had a puppy to keep them entertained, and Judith and Izzy were always by Bella's side.

"Sorry! I thought I had them entertained until they ran off," Carol laughed as Maggie just shrugged.

"It's alright. I was missin' her anyways," Maggie gave her daughter another hug, and petted Bella on the head.

Izzy was a rowdy almost six-year-old, who liked to play outside and ride her bike around the block under Carol or Maggie's watchful eye. Izzy loved all her aunts and uncles, especially Uncle Daryl who let her get away with a lot. Maggie was excited because her baby was going to start school soon, and everyone was looking forward to the next milestone.

Although, Izzy was a daredevil like Tara had been so Maggie was anticipating lots of meetings with teachers in the future. Maggie glanced down at Izzy as she sat in her lap. She swore every day that passed, Elizabeth looked more and more like Tara. Carol stood in the doorway, sensing what Maggie was feeling.

"You miss her a lot today?" Carol asked as she made her way into the office.

"Yeah...more than usual," Maggie admitted as Izzy gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Izzy's family had made sure that she knew who Tara was from a young age by showing her the pictures and taking her to the gravesite. Izzy understood that she had another parent who had died a long time ago. Sometimes, for reasons even unknown to her, Izzy would cry for Tara, and no one could comfort her except Maggie.

There was knock on the door as Spencer appeared with a moving box in his hands. Izzy jumped out of her mother's lap, and ran to Spencer, wrapping her arms around his long legs.

"Uncle Spence! Will you throw a baseball with me?" Izzy asked excitedly.

"Sure, kiddo. Just lemme talk to your mom real quick. Go get the gloves ready," Spencer said as Izzy ran out of the office and to her room to get the baseball gloves with Bella following. Maggie forbade Izzy from owning a baseball bat, not wanting one near her house after what had happened to Tara.

Maggie and Carol both stared at Spencer as he placed the box on an empty chair. "I found these old interview tapes when I was cleanin' out the closet in my mom's old office. I didn't know if you wanted them or not. Your group's interviews are in there."

Maggie, suddenly, realized that Tara's tape was in there, and that this was a chance to hear her voice once again. Carol must have thought the same thing as she reached over to squeeze Maggie's hand briefly.

"Of course, I'll take them. I have the VCR set up in here anyways," Maggie eagerly said as Spencer nodded.

"Yeah, I thought you might wanna take a look at Tara's interview," the young man pulled out the tape in question, placing it on the desk.

"Thank you, Spence. It means a lot to me," Maggie thanked her friend who gave her a quick hug.

"No problem," Spencer replied as Izzy ran into the room with her baseball gear. The two went outside to play, shutting the front door behind them.

"I'll leave alone so you can watch the tape," Carol wrapped her arms around Maggie's shoulders before making her exit, and closing the office door behind her.

Maggie glanced at the video tape on her desk for a few seconds before taking it, and pushing it into the VCR. Maggie turned on the small TV and could barely catch her breath as Tara appeared on the screen in front of her.

Maggie stayed quiet as Deanna's voice asked Tara what she had done for a living before the turn, guessing that she had been a cop. Tara looked a little nervous as she sat on the couch, hands clasped together.

"Yeah, I was a rookie for about eight months," Tara said, looking into the camera.

Maggie watched the rest of the interview as Tara and Deanna discussed the past and the future. She could barely contain her tears as Tara let a small smile grace her face as they talked about baby. Their Elizabeth.

She didn't fight the tears any longer as they ran down her face, treasuring the sound of Tara's voice once again. When the interview was over and the screen went black, Maggie rewinded the video, watching it again and again. She let her fingers trace Tara's face on the screen, all the pain of her loss crashing into her like a freight train.

Maggie held her face in her hands as sobs racked her body, feeling like the horrible event had just happened yesterday, instead of six years ago. She looked at the screen, gazing at Tara's brown eyes that had once touched her soul like no other.

"God, I thought it would get easier, but I just miss you more and more," Maggie cried as she heard Tara's laugh come from the television.

She held onto Tara's wedding ring which she still wore around her neck, letting herself cry, not bothering to wipe away the tears. Maggie wished that Tara was there to comfort her and hold her close, wondering what she would be like if she were still alive. Even after all these years, Maggie still remembered what Tara felt like. She closed her eyes as she remembered how safe and secure she had always felt when Tara was around.

Maggie lost track of time as she played the video over and over again, not noticing that night had already fallen, and that the room was dark except for the glow from the screen. The doorknob slowly turned as the door opened, and Rosita stepped into the dark room.

The young Latina almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Tara's voice, a small part of her hoping that her deceased friend was standing in the room. Instead, she realized that it was the television and that Tara's interview tape was being played. She could hardly believe that she was seeing and hearing Tara again after all the time that had passed.

Suddenly, Rosita noticed that Maggie was sitting against the wall, sobbing to herself. She immediately hugged the distraught woman tight, trying to fight back her own tears that threatened to fall.

"I miss her so much, Rosita. Just seeing and hearing Tara again...brought it all back. The pain and loneliness. I just want her back," Maggie clung desperately to her best friend as she sobbed.

"I know...I miss that big goofball, too," Rosita sniffed as a few stray tears escaped her eyes.

Daryl walked into the room, wondering where Maggie was since he hadn't seen her all evening, and Izzy was already tucked into bed. He stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of the screen where his best friend was talking and smiling.

"Holy shit..." Daryl mustered as he took in Tara's features, and listened as she talked about how they had gone on supply runs together. He watched the rest of the interview, allowing himself to cry as he realized just how much he missed Tara, even after all the time that had gone by.

The screen went blank, and Daryl turned off the television before it could play again. He knew that one day they would show Izzy this tape when she was old enough to understand everything that the family had been through.

"Izzy's in bed already, and out like a light. It's time for you to get some sleep, Maggie. Maybe after some rest, you'll feel better," Daryl bent down to help Rosita get Maggie to her feet.

The two friends led the distraught widow out of the office and to her bedroom, passing their friends who had confused looks on their faces. Maggie didn't say much as Rosita tucked her in, kissing her forehead goodnight. Daryl glanced at her one more time before closing the door, his heart heavy with sorrow.

Maggie cried as she thought about Tara and everything that she had missed out on. Tara missed Izzy's first steps, and first words. She wouldn't be there on her first day of school. Tara would miss out on everything in their child's life.

Pain filled Maggie's heart as she remembered the sound of Tara's voice. She wished she could hear Tara say that she loved her...just one more time. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as memories of their life together came rushing back to her. For the first time in a long time, Maggie found herself wishing that they could share an intimate moment as she remembered how Tara always made her feel so alive and how she had felt within her.

Maggie closed her eyes as she tried to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day, and that the sorrow wouldn't hurt as bad as it did in that moment.

* * *

**Seven years later...**

Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth "Izzy" Chambler sighed as she closed the book she had been reading. Bella raised her head from the position she had been sleeping in, glancing at her briefly before going back to sleep. Izzy's Uncle Eugene had lent the teen his Lord of the Rings collection, and usually she found the series fascinating, but today just felt different. She glanced around her room, wondering why she was feeling so out of place. Her favorite Guns N' Roses album played softly in the background, its melody filling her ears.

Izzy put the book down, and wondered briefly if she should work on the homework that had been assigned in school, but decided against it. Though she was smart, school was boring to Izzy. She was more interested in learning how to shoot guns, and hunt from her Uncle Daryl. She couldn't wait until she was old enough to join to the scout team and go on supply runs with him.

She knew that was what Tara used to do before she died. Izzy knew all about her other parent, and how she supposedly looked and acted so much like her. The teen had seen the Polaroids that her mother kept in a dresser drawer in her room, and Izzy had to admit, they did look a lot alike. Izzy often looked at the pictures, wondering what Tara had been like, and if she would have been proud of her.

Izzy was often fascinated with the stories that her aunts and uncles would tell her about Tara, and the adventures they had in the outside world. Tara had sounded so brave and fearless, and Izzy was determined to be just like her. So she learned from a young age to shoot guns and how to use a knife properly. With Maggie's approval, Daryl even took her out to kill a few walkers, which Izzy did without too many mistakes.

The family watched as Elizabeth blossomed into a young woman, looking so much like Tara it was scary at times. Maggie knew that Izzy had her heart set on joining the scout team, and she was fine with it as long as the teen learned how to handle herself properly in the outside world. Plus, Izzy still had about four years until she could join the runners.

Elizabeth decided to see what her mother was up to as she ran down the stairs to Maggie's office with her boxer dog close behind. Izzy knew that her mother was the leader of Alexandria, and she couldn't be more proud. She always thought Maggie was strong since she had been through a lot in life, and was still pushing through.

Izzy knocked on the door before entering, seeing that her mother was talking to her uncles Rick and Abraham about something. She decided that Mom was too busy for her shenanigans that afternoon.

"Hey, Mom...I'm gonna go for a walk real quick," Izzy said as she hugged her mother goodbye.

"Be careful, sport," Abraham grinned as he gave the teen a big bear hug.

"I will. I always am," Izzy replied as she gave her Uncle Rick a quick hug before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

Izzy wandered through the streets with no particular destination in mind, her hands in her pockets with Bella by her side. She wished that she could go over to Judith's house, but her best friend was with Rosita learning the basics about nursing since that is what she wanted to do. So the teen just walked until she decided to go to the cemetery.

Izzy made it a priority to visit Tara at least once a month or more. Even though, she had never met Tara, it helped her feel close in a way. She knew that her mother visited the site at least two or three times a week. Izzy knew that Maggie had loved Tara very much, still loved her, and she wished that she could have seen her parents in their glory years.

The teen sat down next to the grave marked 'Tara Chambler', petting her dog's ears since the boxer had laid down beside her to keep her company. Izzy thought about Tara, and how life would have probably been different if she had been around. The teen knew Tara would have been the one who taught her how to shoot, drive, and kill walkers. She sighed sadly as she gazed at the grave.

These were the times that she wished Tara had been around. The stories were great to hear from her family, but she would much rather have her around. Plus, she knew her mother would have been happier if Tara was still around. Izzy loved Maggie more than anything, and just wanted her to be happy.

Elizabeth lost track of time as she sat at the gravesite, just thinking about everything. Suddenly, she felt someone next to her as she glanced up to see her mother, the wind gently swaying Maggie's light brown hair.

"Hey, Mom," Izzy simply said as her mother sat down next to her.

"Hey, sweetie. Carol was startin' to worry about you when you missed dinner, but I figured you would be here," Maggie stroked her daughter's soft, dark hair.

They both remained silent for a few minutes, enjoying the serene quiet that surrounded them. Maggie licked her lips before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry everyone has been so busy this week. It's a hard time for us right now, and we're all tryin' to keep occupied so we don't think too much about things," Maggie said as Izzy looked at her confused.

"Why's it hard?" Izzy was perplexed, but knew the adults around her had been working more than usual this week. Daryl had taken off into the woods to be on his own everyday so far.

"Today is the day that we lost Tara all those years ago. It's always hard the week during the anniversary. We all get preoccupied, and I'm sorry if I have been a little distant lately," Maggie apologized to her daughter. Izzy looked at Maggie with her green eyes that changed colors in the disappearing sunlight, deep in thought.

"It's ok. I know how much you guys loved her. What happened?" Izzy asked in a curious voice. Growing up, she had heard all these stories about Tara, but never knew how she had died.

"I guess you're old enough to know what happened," Maggie sighed before she started the story that always brought her so much heartbreak.

"Almost fourteen years ago, a bad group of people attacked Alexandria. They called themselves the Wolves and they were a brutal bunch. They killed a lot of innocent people that day, and kidnapped me, Tara, Rick, Daryl, and a few others. They dragged us to the woods, tied us up, and took our weapons.

Their leader was an evil man, and I'll never forget his face. He wanted blood, and he threatened to kill one of us before lettin' the rest go. He originally picked me, but Tara convinced him to let me go and to kill her instead.

And that's what he did. He had a barbed wire bat, and he beat Tara to death with it while we all were forced to watch, helpless to do anything. I can still remember every detail of her death. I can still feel her blood ricochetin' all over me. I remember the crack when that bat hit her skull.

I still have nightmares about it, and I can still hear her last words to me...telling me that she loved me. I hope that you'll never have to witness anyone you love die like that. It never gets easier even when time passes...

But that's the world we live in now, and now, you're learnin' how to protect yourself. So I think you're ready to have these," Maggie ended her story before she handed Izzy a hunting knife and a pistol before continuing.

"These were Tara's weapons. Daryl was able to get them back from the Wolves after your Uncle Rick launched his revenge attack. I think you're ready to start bein' armed all the time, especially since you've been learnin' safety. Plus, I want you to be able to protect yourself at all times, but you better be careful," Maggie watched as Izzy observed the weapons in awe.

"I promise, Mom. I'll be really careful. Thank you so much!" Izzy hugged her mother close, feeling herself tear up. She wiped her tears away, and saw that her mom's eyes were watering also.

Izzy couldn't believe that her mother had to witness Tara's death, and still kept moving on. She couldn't imagine going through everything that Maggie had endured, and not giving up. She realized in that moment how strong and brave her mother truly was.

"How do you go through life after everythin' you went through? Losin' your parents, Beth, grandma, and Tara. How do you move on?" Izzy asked with a bit of a Southern twang that she had inherited from Maggie.

"I had you. You're the only thing that kept me goin', and helped me get through the hard times. I love you so much, Elizabeth. You'll always be my baby, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure you're safe and happy," Maggie leaned over, placing a kiss on Izzy's head.

"I love you, too, Mom," Izzy leaned against her mother, taking comfort as she felt Maggie wrap an arm around her.

They stayed silent for a long while, comforting each other as they watched the sunset on the horizon. Maggie could feel Tara's presence around them, and she sent Tara a silent thank you for giving her such an amazing and loving daughter. Maggie knew that Tara would have been immensely proud of their Elizabeth, and everything that she was set to accomplish in life.

* * *

**Four years later...**

Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" radiated from the radio speakers on seventeen-year-old Elizabeth's dresser. She sang the song, which was one of her favorites, as she got ready for the big day. Today was Izzy's first day as part of the supply run team, and she couldn't be more excited. In just about an hour or so, the teenager would be heading out with Daryl, Carl, Heath, and Annie to a small town a few hours away.

Izzy was pretty sure she could hold her own. She had already killed numerous walkers over the past four years, and helped save the community when walkers threatened to breach the wall just a year ago. She had taken target practice lessons from Sasha, and was now one of the best shots around, rarely missing her target.

Michonne had taught her how to use and wield a katana, and she was pretty good. Daryl had taught her the fine art of using a crossbow, and how to track various creatures in the woods. Abraham had taught her how to properly throw a punch, and how to fight. He had said that Tara had been one hell of a fighter, and could throw an intense punch.

Izzy smiled when she remembered the day that Abraham had taught her how to punch, showing her how to form a fist. They had been out in the front yard while the rest of the family looked on, and gave Izzy pointers.

"Ok...now punch me as hard as you can in the face," Abraham encouraged as everyone watched, amused. Maggie just shook her head at the man's antics, wondering if her daughter would really follow through.

"What?!" Izzy almost didn't believe what her uncle had requested.

"Come on! Let's see if you have that Chambler punch. Tara always threw one hell of a punch. So let's see," Abraham stayed still so she could get a good right hook on him.

Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before the desire to prove to her family that she could be just like Tara overwhelmed her. She formed a fist, stepping out and punching Abraham as hard as she could on the jaw.

The former soldier stumbled backwards, clenching his jaw in pain as Rosita and Carol laughed. Izzy could hardly believe that she had just punched her uncle in the face, ready for the consequences. Abraham was silent for a few seconds before a huge grin filled his face.

"That's the shit right there! Fuck, I felt like I was gettin' punched by Tara with that one," Abraham laughed as Izzy felt a sense of pride within herself.

The music brought the teen back to reality as she finished getting ready for her first day on the job. Izzy was pretty confident in her abilities, and she was happy to be able to get out from within the walls. She hated being cooped up all day, especially after she learned how to ride a motorcycle.

Judith, her best friend, worked at the infirmary with Rosita and Nicole, and she loved it there. They had offered Izzy a spot there, but the teen longed for adventures, like the ones from the stories that she heard about Tara. Plus, Tara had been part of the run team, and Izzy was dedicated to following in her footsteps.

She thought briefly of the new family that had just arrived to Alexandria a few weeks ago. Izzy hadn't taken much interest when her mother was interviewing the newcomers until she took notice of the teen daughter named Rachel. She was sure that she had experienced love at first sight, and eagerly asked Maggie about the new family. Maggie answered her daughter's questions with a knowing smile. Now, Izzy and Rachel were good friends, on their way to slowly becoming more.

Izzy snapped out of her daydream, realizing that she was going to be late so she threw on the plaid shirt she had found in her mother's closet, and turned off the radio before heading down the stairs. She made her way into the kitchen where Maggie was waiting for her, looking out the window.

As soon as she heard steps coming into the kitchen, Maggie turned and nearly lost her breath. She could have sworn that she had stepped back in time, and now Tara was standing in her kitchen. Maggie could feel her eyes start to water when she realized just how much her Elizabeth looked like Tara, especially since she was all grown up. Izzy had even went through a growth spurt last year making her about a couple of inches taller than Maggie.

"You alright, Mom?" Izzy asked with concern. She always became alarmed when her mother cried, wanting to make things better no matter what.

"I'm fine, sweetie. It's just you're practically a clone of Tara, especially wearin' that shirt," Maggie let a few stray tears fall, quickly wiping them away.

"This shirt? I found it in your closet with a few other ones like it. Is it okay if I wear it? I mean I can put it back..." Izzy started to unbutton the plaid shirt, but was stopped by Maggie.

Maggie shook her head. "No, sweetheart. It's yours now, and the others if you want them. They used to belong to Tara...she always wore those shirts."

Maggie hugged her daughter close, not believing that seventeen years had already passed since she had lost Tara. The pain still felt very fresh in moments like this one. Izzy hugged her mother back, trying to comfort her.

They let go after a couple of minutes as Maggie wiped the tears from her eyes. Izzy decided that later that night she would take a look at those photos her mother kept in the dresser drawer. She hadn't looked at them in almost four years, and now seemed like a good time.

Carol, Rosita, and Abraham stepped into the kitchen, stopping dead in their tracks when they caught sight of Izzy. They always knew the teen was a little replica of Tara, but that day the resemblance was prominent, especially with what the teen was wearing, and how she carried herself.

"Holy fuck! I thought maybe I had found that DeLorean time machine and traveled back into time. You look just like Tara...a practical clone," Abraham gushed as he hugged the teenager tight, suddenly, missing his deceased friend very much.

"Yeah, my heart stopped a little when I walked in here," Rosita admitted as wrapped her arms around the younger, taller girl.

"Well, hopefully, I can make her proud today," Izzy simply said as Carol pulled her close, and kissed her cheek.

"You've already made her proud. We're all so proud of you already, sweetie. Tara would have been so proud of her girl," Carol smiled as she finally let the teen go. She couldn't believe that Izzy was already a young adult, wishing that her childhood had lasted longer.

The front door opened as Daryl made his way into the kitchen, ready to collect Izzy so they could go on the supply run with the others. He barely made it into the kitchen before he was floored by the sight in front of him. Daryl's brain knew that it was Elizabeth, but his heart wanted it to be Tara, waiting for one last hug or playful punch.

"Well, look at my lil' Izzy, all grown up. You're a definite chip off the ol' block," Daryl couldn't keep the emotions out of his voice as he gave the teenager a big bear hug.

Elizabeth was a bit confused on why everyone was so emotional. She knew she resembled Tara, and had heard it her whole life from her family, but they all saw something that she didn't. She was definitely going to look at those photos later to see what all the fuss was about.

"You ready to go?" Daryl asked as Maggie suddenly became nervous that her baby was going on a dangerous supply run. Maggie wanted to keep Izzy safely at home, but knew she needed to let the teen go.

"Hell yeah! I'm ready! Bye Momma!" Izzy gave Maggie one more hug before making her way to the front door.

"You better take care of her, Daryl Dixon. I swear..." Maggie wanted to threaten her good friend, but just couldn't.

"She'll be fine. I promise. She's got that spunk that Tara had, and probably nine lives. Izzy will be safe though, I promise," Daryl tried to reassure Maggie, but knew she would be worrying until Izzy got back home.

Maggie watched as Daryl and Izzy went out the front door, her daughter so excited about the day ahead. Maggie, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves as she tried to keep herself occupied with work. She even played all of Tara's favorite songs, remembering how Tara had used to sing them to her.

Carol tried to help keep Maggie's mind off Izzy being out on a supply run, but she was just as nervous. They had all been dreading this day in a way, knowing that their Izzy would want a job outside of the walls. They had wanted her to have a safe job like Judith had chosen, but ultimately Izzy had inherited Tara's drive and sense of adventure.

Finally, after about seven hours, Izzy and Daryl strolled through the door with big smiles on their faces. Maggie immediately rushed to the front door, hugging her daughter tight, and noticing the bandage on her eyebrow.

"What happened?" Maggie demanded as Izzy just shrugged, a bit embarrassed about what had happened.

"Our girl wonder here tripped over some boxes and hit her head on a shelf. We went to the infirmary, and she should be fine," Daryl answered as Maggie made a fuss over Izzy's injury.

"I'm fine...I promise, Mom," Izzy waved off her mother, not wanting her to worry anything.

"Yeah. She definitely has Tara's clumsiness," Daryl snickered as Izzy stuck her tongue out at him.

Maggie gave Izzy another hug before the teenager made her way up the stairs, followed by her dog, Bella. She entered her room, and waited to be called for dinner. Izzy had to admit she loved going on the supply run, and she couldn't wait for the next one. She even contemplated asking her mother if she could help Sasha on night guard duty.

Soon, Izzy was called for dinner, and she excitedly told everyone about her first supply run. When Rick had stepped into the dining room, he commented that she was all Tara, especially with that bandage on her face. After dinner, Izzy made sure her mother was occupied with the family before she made her way to Maggie's bedroom.

The teenager opened the drawer where the precious photos were kept. Izzy felt bad since she hasn't looked at the Polaroids in almost four years, feeling like she had betrayed Tara in some way. She sat down on the bed, and glanced at the photos. Izzy suddenly realized what everyone had been saying. Sure, she knew what Tara had looked liked, but she never knew how much she resembled her.

Izzy stared at the photos which were like gazing into a mirror. Sure, there were some differences, such as her green eyes, but for the most part, she was a clone of Tara. Izzy could feel herself start to cry as she thought about how much she missed Tara, even though she had never met her.

She felt sorry for her mother who had remained single during all those years, and living without her soulmate. The door opened as Maggie walked in, and sat on the bed next to Izzy, holding her close. She glanced at the photos, remembering a happy time when Tara was still alive.

"You okay, sweetie?" Maggie asked as Izzy shook her head, still crying.

"It's not fair. I wish I could meet her. Even if it was just for a minute...I just wanna hear her say she's proud of me. Or happy about how I turned out. I just wanna see her..." Izzy cried as Maggie pulled her closer, placing a kiss on her head.

"I know, baby. I know. Just know that she would have been so proud of you. I'm so proud of you. You're turnin' into such a responsible adult, and you're everythin' I could have ever imagined," Maggie wiped her daughter's tears away as Izzy clung to her.

"I love you, Mom," Izzy sniffed as she wiped her nose.

"I love you, too. More than anythin'," Maggie smiled at her girl as Izzy laid down on the bed, not wanting to be away from her mother.

Soon, Izzy fell asleep almost as soon as her head had touched the pillow. Maggie stroked her arm, marveling at how much Izzy reminded her of Tara. She noticed the pictures on the bed, picking them up, and studying them intently as she held the wedding ring on the necklace around her neck.

God, she missed Tara so much. So much time had passed, and so much had changed, but the pain was still fresh at times. Maggie glanced over at Izzy, who was sleeping soundly. She knew Tara would have been so proud of their daughter, and Maggie couldn't imagine her life without Izzy in it.

Everyday their daughter made her more proud, and Tara lived through Izzy in so many ways. Maggie knew that she would always keep a part of Tara in her heart, and everywhere she went, Tara would be there with her.

Although, so many horrible things had happened in Maggie's life, and she had lost so much, so much good still came out from everything, mainly Izzy and her family. Tara's love had helped her make it through all the tough times, and she had given her Izzy, which was the greatest gift of all. Maggie knew she owed so much to Tara.

Maggie tucked Elizabeth in before laying down next to her, and kissing her cheek. Maggie remembered when she had wanted to give up after Tara's death, but was so glad that she had chosen to be strong instead. Now, she had a daughter who made her so proud. And everyday, Maggie kept Tara's memory alive.

Maggie knew that one day she would see Tara's smile again, and feel her arms wrapped around her. Until then, though, she would keep Tara with her close in her heart.

"I love you..." Maggie whispered to the quiet room as she closed her eyes to sleep, smiling as dreams about Tara filled her tired mind. Every night, her dreams were the only way Maggie could feel and see Tara. She smiled contently as she felt Tara's presence around her and Izzy, and knew that they would never be alone as long as Tara's memory was kept alive. For now, Maggie would continue to look forward to the future, and know that one day she would be reunited with Tara and all the loved ones they had lost along the way.

**The End**

* * *

Well...that was hard to write but now this story is completely done. Everything that I had planned has happened, and I had this kind of ending in mind when I first started writing. Please don't hate me for how things turned out!

This chapter's song is "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey...which is a 90s classic!

But thank you to all my faithful readers for stickin' with me through my first endeavor into fanfiction. I love and appreciate all of you. And don't worry...I'll still be around workin' on my other 2 stories and whatever else I decide to put Maggie/Tara through. :)

So thank you once again! I hope you enjoyed the story. :D


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